


they think our love is a growing pain

by regrettes



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: 50s Greasers, Alternate Universe - Greasers, F/F, Greasers, thanks to the discord for reigniting my love for grease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-05-13 07:10:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19246318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regrettes/pseuds/regrettes
Summary: Alyssa and Emma had a summer affair, but with Alyssa returning to Edgewater, she had to break things off. What she didn't expect was Emma moving to Edgewater too. Or to look that good in a leather jacket.orGrease AU





	1. those summer nights

_“Emma, I-we can’t keep doing this, I leave tomorrow and then I’ll never get to see you again.” There were tears pricking in Alyssa’s eyes as she spoke, wanting to keep going, but she knew that they had to part ways. Her mother had grown suspicious, and with them leaving there was no way for her to keep in touch with Emma._

 

_“Can’t you just stay a little longer Alyssa? Or-I could write to you?” The blonde’s hair whipped her in the face as she pleaded the other girl to give her something to hang on to. She wasn’t the type of girl you’d expect to plead, but there was a soft heart behind Emma’s leather jacket Alyssa had found._

 

_Alyssa just shook her head, leaning up and pressing one last kiss to Emma’s lips before she walked back to the summer home her mother had gotten them. Emma stood on the beach, watching her leave, heart breaking with every step she took._

 

_____________________

 

“Alyssa, did you meet anyone over the summer?” Kaylee asked, a sparkle in her eye as she waited to hear about what Alyssa was up to on her vacation. Shelby had been telling them about how she and her boyfriend broke up because he didn’t want to wait to go to third base, but she wasn’t ready. Alyssa had been content to keep hearing about everyone else’s summer’s, because hers was still playing back in her head. She had gotten back from visiting her mom’s summer home less than a week ago, but she couldn’t get the nights at the beach out of her head. She definitely had met someone over the summer, but she couldn’t tell her friends about it, she couldn’t tell anyone about it.

 

“I-not really? I mean... there was someone but we parted ways,” She looked at her friends to gauge their reactions before letting her eyes wander the outdoor portion of the cafeteria. She didn’t want to think about how much she actually missed Emma, she hadn’t meant to get that attached to the girl but it was too late now. She was back home, and Emma was back in South Carolina, at whatever high school she went to. Alyssa felt a nudge to her shoulder though, a sign that Kaylee didn’t believe her in the slightest. “We did, seriously. I-He was in South Carolina, my mom and I went to the vacation house for the summer and we clicked. But I couldn’t do long distance, and s-” She lost her voice as she caught sight of a familiar leather jacket.

 

She was imagining things, that was it. There was no way Emma was here, Emma was in South Carolina, she said she was moving schools but there was no way she moved all the way up here. “Alyssa? Are you okay?” Kaylee asked, looking between her and the general area that Alyssa was glued to, not really seeing anything of interest. “Did you see a cute guy or something?” She was studying the area now, trying to find anyone or anything of interest but it was too late. Alyssa had found the familiar jacket again and felt her heart pick up its pace. It felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. Emma.

 

Snapping out of her trance, Alyssa felt Shelby nudge her other side, seemingly connecting the dots as to who Alyssa was looking at, “She’s new, just moved to town. She rolled up her truck and hasn’t taken that jacket off since she’s gotten here. Kaylee and I saw her in English, but she sat in the back and just looked... lost. She didn’t seem too scary, but she also looks like a major-”

 

“Dyke.” Kaylee finished, finally laying eyes on the new girl, her face turning up into a sneer as she looked Emma up and down. Alyssa leaned back and smacked her arm, giving her a glare. She wasn’t strong enough to tell her to be nice, especially since Emma wasn’t over here to hear her. But as if on cue, their eyes locked and Alyssa felt her soul leave her body. The look on Emma’s face when she finally looked at Alyssa was heart-melting. Alyssa visibly relaxed, a smile reaching her face that she hadn’t smiled since she last saw the girl.

 

Kaylee was still glaring in Emma’s direction, but Shelby had turned her attention to Alyssa, a confused look on her face. She hadn’t ever seen her friend smile like that at any of the boys she’d dated. “Alyssa? She’s looking at you,” Kaylee nodded her chin to the leather clad girl, who seemed to be making her way toward the trio. That snapped Alyssa out of her daze, heart still hammering and head going a mile a minute. She couldn’t let her friends know that Emma was the girl she had a fling with, but Emma was making a beeline toward her, leaving the group she’d been talking with as if they meant nothing to her. They probably didn’t, it was her first day, but Alyssa now had limited time to come up with a story.

 

“I-Yeah, I ran into her a couple of times on vacation, she was nice enough to show me and uh-Emmett the sights of Charleston,” Alyssa lied, standing up and smoothing out her dress as Emma reached them. The girl had her hands buried in her jeans pockets, a white T-shirt tucked into them and the cutest curl in her hair settling on her forehead. The jacket was there of course, it was the piece of clothing that brought the entire outfit together, she’d never seen the girl without it. Well, except for the time that she took it off to give to Alyssa when they snuck out at one in the morning. But even then, there wasn’t a clear view of what she looked like, it was fairly dark out and by the time they reached the diner Alyssa had returned the jacket.

 

“Alyssa?” Emma asked, a slight smirk on her face as she looked over the girl, finally landing back on her eyes. It was as if she wasn’t afraid of what anyone else thought, and that fact was only solidified as Alyssa took a closer look at the pins on Emma’s jacket. “I-you didn’t tell me you lived in Edgewater,” The blonde said, only stumbling over her words slightly, her eyes tearing from Alyssa’s to look over Kaylee and Shelby.

 

Shelby seemed to be stunned into silence, her mouth slightly ajar as she looked at Alyssa, a look in her eyes that Alyssa couldn’t quiet place. It was a familiar look, but the words didn’t quite reach her tongue before Kaylee opened her mouth. “What makes you think you can talk to us? We don’t talk to _your kind of people_ ,” Her voice had a bit of a bite to it that made Alyssa flinch, not being ready for Kaylee’s comments. The girl was known for being ruthless, but no one in school had encountered a gay person before, aside from this summer, so she didn’t think that Kaylee would be that up front about her disgust.

 

Before she knew what she was doing, Alyssa spun around, looking at the girl who was sprawled across the table, voice wavering as she spoke, “Can you be nice? You don’t have to talk to her, but she hasn’t done anything to me so-please?” Her eyes were almost pleading, darting between Kaylee and Shelby so she couldn’t give away too much information. Shelby looked past her, smiling to Emma before looking back to Alyssa with a new glint in her eyes. She nodded, reaching out and taking Alyssa’s hand, “I promise we’ll be nice, won’t we Kaylee?”

 

Usually Shelby just had to bat her eyes at Kaylee and she’d get her way, but the girl seemed to be standing her ground this time. She got off the table and grabbed her bag before leaving without a word, Shelby’s eyes following her for a moment before they snapped back onto Emma, who had moved to sit on the table instead. “Some friends you got here Alyssa, can’t say they have any southern hospitality like we did back in Carolina,” Emma didn’t take her eyes off of Alyssa, who couldn’t help the slight blush on her cheeks at the look the blonde gave her. After all this time she should have been over the butterflies, but there was just something that wouldn’t let her about Emma.

 

She smiled slightly, her heart in her throat as she looked around at the other people in the quad, who all seemed to be paying attention to the three girls now that Kaylee had stormed off. “I-Yeah... Kaylee is something. But she’s a sweetheart deep down. You didn’t say you were moving up here Emma, you just said switching schools?” She wanted answers, because there was no way Emma was here because of Alyssa. It was clear the other girl had no idea she would actually be here, but she showed up looking incredible nonetheless.

 

Much to her dismay, Emma just shrugged, leaning back slightly and relaxing visibly before she spoke. “Things went south in Carolina, my grandma took me in. She lives just a few miles south of town in a farm by the lake. I was supposed to just be staying in Charleston but my parents didn’t like the idea of some big mean lesbian being under their roof anymore,” There was an edge to her voice that said the conversation was over, followed by her moving to get back up. As she did so, her hand brushed Alyssa’s and almost out of reflex, Alyssa reached for it. She only held it for a moment before realizing where she was and dropping it again, eyes immediately finding her feet as Emma brushed past her. “I’ll talk to you later beautiful, don’t make too many guys faint,” Alyssa could almost hear the smirk in her voice, wanting to call after Emma but her mouth was sewed shut. She looked at Shelby, panicking, before darting off to the bathrooms to process what just happened.

 

Emma clearly wasn’t shy about being a lesbian, and about complimenting Alyssa. But Alyssa couldn’t come out, she wasn’t ready. What would her mother think? What would her friends think? Kaylee clearly wasn’t happy about the idea of Alyssa even knowing someone who was gay, so if she found out that Alyssa was? It would be a disaster. Then there was Shelby, who seemed to be alright with it? If she wasn’t she didn’t say anything. And then there was the look that she kept giving Alyssa, as if she knew what was going on. There had to be something she could do, or a place she could talk to Emma that no one would actually see her. If the girl was here that meant that maybe- maybe she didn’t have to let her feelings go. Sure, no one could know, but if she could just find Emma there might be a chance.


	2. thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa finds solidarity in a friend about Emma, who makes a reappearance with her stupid leather jacket.

Alyssa didn’t know how long she’d been hiding in the bathroom, but the bell had rung a couple of times at this point and she knew that she should go to her last class at the very least. But something in her told her that she’d end up seeing Emma in her stupid leather jacket and have her brain short circuit again. Everyone had seen her in the quad all but melt into a puddle at the very sight of the girl. That was no way for her to be comfortably in the closet, and she couldn’t exactly come out either. She could tell by the way Shelby was looking at her that she might not have an issue with it, but the other Pink Ladies? Kaylee? Kat and Emma? They might have a problem, especially with how masculine Emma looked.

 

Why did she have to be so scared of what others thought? She had fought to be in the Pink Ladies back when she came to James Madison, but now she was supposed to be the leader. She shouldn’t fear what her friends thought. It wasn’t just her friends though, was it? Her mother would lose her mind, she wasn’t fond of Alyssa running off all the time with Emma when they were on break, so now that Emma was in Edgewater? There would be no escaping her mother’s gaze. Edgewater was a third of the size of Charleston, if that, and with that size of a town comes everyone knowing each other. Someone would tell her mom, and then she’d have to answer for why she was hanging around with someone who was so obviously a lesbian.

 

The closest thing that Edgewater had seen to a lesbian in the town was when the T-Birds from Wabash had come into town last fall. The amount of leather jackets, and muscle cars that had sped through the streets was almost terrifying. Alyssa was sure the girls were very nice, but waking up to that at seven in the morning wasn’t ideal, especially with the speech her mom gave to her about why _lesbians_ were the devil’s work and how she needed to stay away from them. That didn’t help Alyssa or her ever growing debate about whether or not _she_ was a lesbian, up until this summer. Then she was sure about everything, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable with it.

 

Ripped from her thoughts, Alyssa grabbed her backpack as she heard the door to the bathroom open and an almost melodic voice ring through the small room. Her heart was in her throat again as she listened to the singing, not knowing who it was, or if they’d question why she was almost hyperventilating. She slowly opened the stall door, peeking out and letting out a shaky breath as she caught sight of Shelby standing there. “Oh thank goodness it’s you...” Alyssa said, coming out of the stall without as much fear, “For a second I thought you might be-”

 

“Emma? That was her name, right?” Shelby asked, with a soft smile as she reapplied her lip gloss. There was that knowing look in her eyes that made Alyssa almost want to deflect and pretend that wasn’t who she meant. Before she could backtrack however, Shelby continued talking, “Look. I’m not Kaylee. I saw the look on your face when you saw her Alyssa, I know that look.” Capping her lip gloss, Shelby moved closer to Alyssa, holding out her hand for the slightly shorter girl to take. When Alyssa finally did, she felt a comforting squeeze, to match the smile on Shelby’s lips.

 

“She’s just... something else. She’s like no one else I’ve ever met Shelbs,” Alyssa got that far away look in her eyes, and a smile on her face that could only be described as lovestruck. She had such strong feelings for this girl, and she wanted to yell it from the rooftops, but maybe the bathroom would suffice. “I didn’t see a guy named Emmett over summer. I saw Emma, and I told her before I left that there was no way we could stay together. What would my mother think? What would Kaylee and the other Ladies think? This town isn’t open to that sort of thing. You remember the T-Birds. They’re the reason our moms won’t let us go to the Starlight anymore.” Alyssa knew she was rambling, but there was so much fear pouring out of her along with the feelings she had for Emma, it was hard to stop. “She means so much to me, and I’ve never felt this way about anyone. Not Nick o-or Danny or anyone. She’s special Shelby, and I wish I had the courage she did.”

 

Without warning Shelby pulled Alyssa into a tight hug, attempting to comfort her, and Alyssa just found herself feeling more tense than normal. She knew that it was just her friend trying to be helpful, but Alyssa didn’t know how to handle the contact. But after a few moments where Shelby made it clear she wasn’t going to let go quite yet, Alyssa found it easier to relax. She rested her head on Shelby’s shoulder, letting a few tears fall that she didn’t know had built up.

 

“Alyssa, I know that you don’t think you’re strong or brave but you’re in the Pink Ladies, we wouldn’t accept just anyone. And I mean, we might not be the T-Birds, but that doesn’t mean we have to be as strict and straight on the path as people think we are. We’re a bunch of rough and tough girls, who’s to say that we can’t have someone like you, or I, stray from the path,” Shelby kept her voice soft, her hand rubbing Alyssa’s back comfortingly. The ‘or I’ comment made Alyssa pull back her head a little and look at Shelby more head on. Was the girl implying that she was a lesbian too? Or was Alyssa just over thinking things again?

 

As if sensing her internal debate on whether or not to say anything, Shelby continued speaking, “I’m not a lesbian. But, I do have feelings for women along with men. I had a summer fling with one of the T-Birds, that’s why Jake and I aren’t dating anymore. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks, but her name was Syd. It was more of an experimenting thing for me, but it helped me.”

 

That made sense to Alyssa, and it would be nice to have someone to confide in about Emma, and in turn Shelby could talk to her about her feelings for people, no matter who she liked. But that still meant that things could get out to Kaylee and the others. Pulling back from the hug, Alyssa took Shelby’s hands in her own and gave her a bright smile, “I really appreciate you telling me Shelbs, I’m not ready to tell anyone else but- I’m a lesbian. I thought I was before, since the T-Birds last fall, but Emma really solidified that. It’s more than just a fling to me though, but I don’t think it’s anything but that to her.”

 

“Alyssa I saw the way she looked at you, that wasn’t just some fling. That girl is still after you, or she’s just a really big flirt and knows how to sell it.” Shelby said, although the last part seemed more like her thinking out loud than actual support. Alyssa ducked her head, a light blush on her cheeks before she shook off the idea of Emma actually thinking it was more than a summer fling. “I have to get to class though, and you should too or Mr. Hawkins is going to call your mom.” With that Shelby squeezed her hands one last time before leaving the bathroom, leaving Alyssa alone with her thoughts again. She sighed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, before heading out the door.

 

Her last class of the day was English, where they were studying Romeo and Juliet, again. She’d read the play so many times over the years she could probably recite it from memory. She slipped into the room right as the bell rang, sliding into her usual seat in the front, not thinking to look around at her classmates. She knew that Kaylee shared this class with her, but she was always preoccupied with Nick, so they didn’t really talk too much. When it came to pairing up in reading groups, she usually chose one of the only other Pink Ladies in her class, Trina. The girl was nice enough, but from a glance right behind her, that seat didn’t contain its usual bubbly girl. Much to Alyssa’s surprise, her quick glance showed her a flash of leather and she immediately felt her heart fall to her stomach.

 

She quickly drew her attention to the board, where Mr. Johnson was writing on the board about the pages they’d be reading for the day. “Alright class, since we have a new student we’re going to switch up how we do our daily reading. Today, we’re going to assign roles and read together as a class. So Miss Nolan can get comfortable with the class, and the class can get comfortable with her.” As he spoke he motioned to the desk right behind Alyssa, confirming her hopes and fears that it was Emma behind her. The air of confidence that oozed off of her summer fling was almost palpable at this point, and Alyssa turned around to smile at her.

 

The look on Emma’s face as she met Alyssa’s eyes made her heart flutter. Her face went from being stone cold and almost cocky, to being soft and full of life. Maybe Shelby was right, and Emma did think that there was still something between them. Maybe all hope wasn’t lost, if she could just find that courage. As her thoughts wandered, Mr. Johnson started assigning roles, Alyssa barely hearing her name be chosen for Juliet.

 

She opened her book to where they were, Act 1, Scene 5. She hadn’t heard who’d been called for Romeo, Tybalt, or anyone else. She assumed Nick was going to read for Romeo, so it wouldn’t be too awkward. Kaylee might end up jealous, but it shouldn’t be too hard to smooth over. “Alright, I want you all to come to the front of the room, we’ll act out the scene as we do it so we can really get into it. Think of it as a change of scenery.” Mr. Johnson really wasn’t taking any prisoners today, already moving desks out of the way to make room for everyone to take the ‘stage’ of sorts.

 

Alyssa made her way to the front, but when she looked out at who was still sitting, it hit her that Nick wasn’t going to be reading for Romeo. He was still sitting next to Kaylee’s empty desk. Looking over at who was standing with her, she recognized Grey, a freshman who had somehow made it into the junior level class; Danny, her ex boyfriend; and Emma Nolan, who was standing right next to her. She met her eyes, getting lost in them for a moment before looking back over to Mr. Johnson. There were not enough guys up here to read for all of the parts.

 

As the scene started, everything went smoothly, even if Alyssa was a little out of it when it hit her that Emma was reading for Romeo. That’s why she was stood next to her, because later in the scene they interacted. It was Alyssa’s _favorite_ scene. And as it came to the moment, Emma turned to Alyssa and took her hand, maybe to sell the role, or to just throw Alyssa off. Either way, Alyssa wouldn’t change the movement for the world.

 

“If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.”

 

Her voice was like butter, Alyssa starting to swoon the moment she spoke, a dazed smile on her lips. She knew that it was going to be her downfall the day she met Emma, but she couldn’t help but be thankful that it was. It didn’t help that as she delivered her lines Emma lifted her hand to kiss it, eyes meeting Alyssa’s as she did so. “Good pilgrim,” She said with a slight chuckle, not even looking at her book for the words. “You do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this,

for saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,

and palm to palm is a holy palmers’ kiss.”

 

Emma had a smile on her face and a glint in her eyes that would have been the death of Alyssa in any other situation. But in this one, she was determined to keep her cool because she couldn’t have everyone see her melt under this girl’s gaze. It wouldn’t be good for her reputation, or her situation. “Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?” With her line, Emma cocked her eyebrow slightly, her smile only growing.

 

“Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.” Alyssa couldn’t help but feel her own smile grow, noticing how Emma had taken another step closer, so there was almost no distance between them. Alyssa’s heart at this point was hammering so hard, she was sure that Kaylee could hear it from across the room.

 

“O, the, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.” With this line, Emma took another small step toward Alyssa, lacing their fingers together and letting her eyes fall to Alyssa’s lips. Alyssa knew that she was going to be a goner, there was no way she couldn’t fall for this girl. “Then pray; grant thou, lest faith turn into despair.”

 

Alyssa’ line delivery was going to be shaky, her hand holding the book trembling as she realized that Emma hadn’t looked at the book one time during the scene. Did she have this scene memorized? Or was Alyssa just imagining things? “Saints do not move, though grand for prayers’ sake.”

 

As if on cue, Emma began leaning in, her next line delivered almost as a whisper. It was a stage whisper, where Mr. Johnson wouldn’t make her repeat it, but it was quite enough that Alyssa could have a moment to shudder as she felt Emma’s breath on her lips, “Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.” As if it were a dream, she felt Emma’s lips barely brush hers before she pulled back with a smirk, “Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.”

 

Alyssa almost missed the next line, heart hammering too loud for her to think, “Then have my lips the sin that they have took.” She looked into Emma’s eyes, daring her almost to make the same move again. She didn’t think the girl would, but the sensation of being so close to kissing Emma was driving Alyssa up a wall.

 

“Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again,” Emma smirked, feigning shock as she moved back in ever so slightly, daring Alyssa to give her the same look twice. After Alyssa regained her breath from the idea of Emma kissing her, she looked at her lips, then to her eyes, “You kiss by th’ book.” With her line delivery, Emma leaned back in, lips barely brushing before she pulled back completely, the Nurse delivering her line and taking Alyssa’s hand to guide her to where the character playing her mother stood. The rest of the class passed in a blur, Alyssa having to focus on her book a little too closely so she didn’t keep looking at Emma. She needed to keep focused so that as the bell rang she could just dart out of the room and get home before she did anything else.

 

The bell rang and as if she were a cheetah, Alyssa burst from the room at top speed. She knew that Kaylee would want to talk about what happened, and all Alyssa wanted was to kiss Emma and not talk to anyone about what it meant. She had to tell Shelby tomorrow, so she could wake up and know that it wasn’t just a dream. That this entire day had been real.

 

She made it home without any problems, but didn’t miss what Emma climbed into in the parking lot. A red truck, it looked really new and nice, and it definitely wasn’t what Emma drove when she was in South Carolina. But it definitely suited the girl better than the beat up blue one. She took the stairs two at a time, throwing herself on her bed with the most lovestruck look on her face. She couldn’t focus on her homework right now, the only thing on her mind was Emma Nolan.


	3. hopelessly devoted to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa starts receiving notes and flowers in her locker, but can't seem to figure out who they're from.

Alyssa was content to spend the rest of the week avoiding her friends as much as possible, being completely berated with questions at every turn. Kaylee wanted to know why she didn’t smack Emma for almost kissing her, Shelby wanted to know if she ended up kissing Emma later on somewhere. Kaitlin had wanted to know if Emma was _a lesbian_ , seemingly showing interest. Alyssa had planned to just brush off all of their questions and comments, waiting for things to go back to normal, when she started finding things in her locker every morning. First was a note, which didn’t seem like much. Alyssa didn’t bother reading it until she got home that day, being glad she did.

 

_Alyssa,_

_If I thought for just one moment that this would be my last breath,_

_I’d tell you I’ll love you forever, even beyond death_

_If I thought for just one moment that your face would be the last I’d see,_

_I’d take a million pictures and save them just for me._

 

The note wasn’t signed by anyone, and Alyssa couldn’t put a finger on who’s handwriting it was. She couldn’t help the smile on her lips as she read it over and over again, wondering if it could possibly be from Emma. The greaser didn’t seem like the type to leave a poem, or even write a poem, but Alyssa certainly didn’t know everything about her. That was a part of her charm, she was mysterious and unknown but also soft-hearted and kind.

 

The next day there wasn’t a note, but there was a rose. Just a single, red rose laying on the shelf of her locker. Alyssa looked around, trying to see if anyone was watching her as she brought it to her nose to smell it, smiling as she did so. She didn’t see anyone watching her, specifically no leather clad girls who could smile and strike her down and she’d thank her. In fact, she hadn’t seen Emma other than in English for the past few days, it was almost as if the blonde was avoiding her.

 

On Friday, she opened her locker to a note and a flower, her heart skipping a beat at the idea that this was going to be an ongoing thing. Shelby and Kaylee were flanking her on either side this time, so she had to read the note this time right then. This one was a little longer, with the swirling cursive decorated with little hearts over the i’s and j’s. Taking a shaky breath, she began reading it aloud, a blush on her cheeks already, “ _I’ve never been one for poetry_

_Or noticing little things._

_But with you it’s all I think about._

_Everything I say slip into these pages,_

_onto napkins and coffee sleeves._

_Flowing from an ink pen,_

_Little doodles of our love._

_Things never before expressed_

_now evoked by a little smile_

_and dazzling chocolate eyes._

_eyes i could be lost in_

_for decades_

_lost in you_

_for an eternity.”_

 

Alyssa looked up at both of her friends, heart hammering as she felt tears well up. Whoever this was knew how to rope a girl in. She looked around, trying to see who it could be, a little disappointed that she didn't see anyone else that she would’ve suspected. The only people looking her way were the Pink Ladies, who were waiting for her to drop the bomb on who was leaving her the notes. Kaylee was the first to speak, taking the note from her hands and looking at it a little closer with a suspicious look. “Do you think it’s that dyke? Emma or whatever her name is?” Her voice had a slight edge to it as she looked back up at Alyssa, who was panicking a little at the suggestion.

 

She knew that it was a possibility, and one that she definitely hoped was the right idea, but she hadn’t spoken to Emma since English on the first day. “I-there’s no way it’s Emma, she hasn’t said anything to me in days. I haven’t even seen her except in English. Plus I doubt that she’d be after me at all-”

 

“Why wouldn’t she be? I doubt the T-Bird girls are her type, and she seemed pretty into you during English. You aren’t, one of them are you Alyssa?” Her question was probing, and definitely too much for Alyssa to handle right now. She looked over to Shelby for some assistance, but the girl was scared silent too. Her support came from an unlikely source. Kat, one of the newer recruits to the Pink Ladies came to lean against the lockers beside Alyssa, rubbing her back. “I don’t think that’s a question anyone wants to be asked in front of the whole school Kaylee. Not everyone is open about everything with everyone.” Kat gave Kaylee a look up and down before raising an eyebrow as a challenge, “I mean, if you want to ask those questions then I can ask, how’s being a slut? I heard about your... adventure with Nick.” As she spoke, her head turned to the side and she blew a bubble with her gum.

 

Kaylee stomped her foot almost in protest of Kat’s comments, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of an actual answer. “You’re gonna pay for that comment, worm,” She spat before spinning on her heel and storming off down the hallway, Shelby following quickly after trying to calm her down. Alyssa couldn’t help but give a sad smile as she watched her friends leave, wishing that it wasn’t going down this way. She knew that Kaylee was hard headed and not easy to be around, but she was a good person when you got on her good side. Looking over to Kat, she smiled softly, “Thank you Kat, I appreciate it but now you might get hit at lunch. I’ll defend you but I’m not a fighter.”

 

Kat shrugged, looking around at the rest of the girls still scattering the lockers, “I think Aya would have my back at least in a fight. And if Emma is the one leaving you those notes then she might jump into the fray too if she sees you in the middle of it. And she looks pretty tough.” Kat nudged Alyssa with a joking smile, but the look in her eyes was the same that Shelby had given her before. That was the look of understanding, a _gay look_ of understanding. It made her stomach flip slightly, wondering if she really wasn’t as alone as she thought she was in this.

 

Lunch came up rather quickly in Alyssa’s day, her mind still reeling over the events of that morning. She had the note in the front of her composition notebook, rereading whenever she opened her notebook. It brought a smile to her face each time, choosing to ignore the looks she got from anyone that happened to see her. But at lunch as she was rereading it, out loud at Kat’s request, Emma decided to make an appearance, without her jacket for once. It was slung over her shoulder, but her torso was clad in a black t-shirt, tucked in of course, and a baseball jersey. It stole the words out of Alyssa’s mouth, and if it hadn’t, Emma did directly after. The blonde ran a hand through her hair, quoting the poem word for word with a slight smirk. It was one of the cockiest looks that the girl had ever given Alyssa. Kat looked between the two girls, her jaw dropping at Emma. Alyssa looked over at Kat and Shelby, lifting her hand to close Kat’s mouth with a look. “That’s some poem you got there ‘Lyssa. Where’d you find it?” Emma gave her that same smirk she gave in class, which in any other scenario would have Alyssa melting, but the aura of confidence that came off the girl was a little too much right then.

 

Alyssa looked Emma up and down before meeting the girl’s eyes, “I found it. Someone was nice enough to write it for me and leave it in my locker. Probably someone soft and in touch with their feelings.” She was more than thankful that Kaylee had kept her mouth shut this entire time, although she could feel the disapproval emanating off the girl to her left. Emma dropped her smirk, letting it turned into a confused look as she looked over the entirety of the Pink Ladies, her eyes lingering on some of them longer than they should for Alyssa’s liking.

 

“Was there by chance, a boy waiting around to confess his feelings for you Alyssa? Or not? You never know, he might be too shy to actually say anything.” As she spoke, Emma dropped her gaze from Alyssa to her feet, almost seeming like she was talking about herself. But Alyssa hadn’t known the girl to be shy about anything. After the display in English, there wasn’t a shred of belief in Alyssa’s mind that Emma was shy. Lifting her head to meet Alyssa’s eyes again, she winked before turning to leave, “You might want to keep an eye out for him, you never know what might cause him to finally reveal himself.” Alyssa was left speechless for the rest of the lunch period, confused by the events of the day. It was nice of Emma to assume it was a boy, but was that just a cover for the two of them, or was it genuinely a boy who had feelings for her?

 

The thought plagued her mind the rest of the day, right up until a note was placed on her desk as Emma passed her in English. She discreetly peeked at what was written on it, trying to hide her smile as she did so. There was that swirling cursive with the hearts again, but this time the note wasn’t a poem. It was just one sentence, ‘ _Let me take you on a date?’_


	4. oh i guess they'll never know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma scopes out the Starlight Diner, wanting to bring Alyssa there on a date. What she doesn't expect, is to run into the T-Birds.

Wabash, Indiana wasn’t a big town, but it was bigger than Edgewater, meaning that if there was something you needed that you couldn’t get in town, you went to Wabash. Being that it was only a thirty minute drive from Edgewater, most teens went in groups to go to the drive-in, or if you were brave enough, to the Starlight. If you were brave enough, you’d be met with some kind faces inside the diner, most of the time. Dee Dee Allen had opened the diner in the early 40’s, intent on making it an open environment for anyone to eat in. Over the years however, it had become the hang out spot for the T-Birds, a gang of mostly girls who took absolutely no prisoners. They weren’t mean to the workers, in fact they were nothing but kind. The leader of the group, Dani, always made sure their girls were kind and tipped well.

 

That’s why they were allowed to stay, despite the business of the teens of Edgewater seemed to suffer. No parent would allow their child to go into the diner if the group was there, fearing that they would catch the homosexual tendencies the group were so open about. That didn’t scare off the singular girl that walked in that Friday afternoon, leather jacket in one hand, sunglasses in the other. She looked around at the diner, barely glancing at gang as she took a seat at the counter. She smiled up at the waitress that greeted her, setting her jacket on the stool next to her. “Good afternoon! You’re a new face, aren’t you?” The waitress asked, her name tag said Angie on it and was a little sparkly, “What can I get you to drink?”

 

“A Coke? Please?” The girl asked, meeting her eyes with a charming smile. Dani looked on, brow furrowed at the sight of this new, and incredibly attractive, girl in their diner. They didn’t seem like a threat, nor did they seem to see the T-Birds as a threat. Deciding that introductions were in order, in an attempt to put a better foot forward than they usually got, Dani made their way over to the blonde. She looked up at Angie, giving a little finger wave before leaning against the counter. The sudden appearance of another person in her space caused the girl to turn, raising an eyebrow, “Can I help you?”

 

“Just admiring the sights, it’s not often we get anyone new in here, especially pretty girls like yourself. What brings you to the Starlight?” Dani’s voice was smooth, suave even, as they spoke, something that would’ve drawn most people in. That was the charm of most of the T-Birds. They were confident in themselves, knowing that they had the ability to bring in the girls or guys that they wanted to. Most of them also knew that anyone coming into Wabash from Edgewater wasn’t going to be open to advances, but perhaps this girl wasn’t driving in from Edgewater.

 

As the girl opened her mouth to reply, Angie returned with the coke, setting a menu in front of her before looking to Dani. “Don’t go trying to seduce another Edgewater girl. And don’t go stealing my lines either, I’m supposed to ask what brings people here.” She playfully swatted at Dani’s arm, smiling before looking to the mysterious addition and winking, “Don’t let Dani here scare you off, they’re pretty harmless. We’re happy to have new visitors. Take your time and just wave me over when you’re ready to order.” Angie gave one last big smile before moving off to go into the kitchen, presumably to talk to the cook about the new customer’s arrival.

 

“So what’s your name beautiful?” Dani asked, looking at the rest of the T-Birds who were watching from their booth. They weren’t usually ones to come join in conversation, not until they knew they wouldn’t scare the person off. The only person that had moved from the booth was Syd, who had moved over to the jukebox to put on the latest song she’d fallen in love with. This week’s song was Sherry by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, which she’d played at least four times since they showed up at the diner today. Dani didn’t mind it, but it definitely set a mood for the kind of girls they were. Looking back over to Syd, Dani couldn’t help but chuckle a little as she watched the girl lean against the jukebox in an attempt to look aloof and cool.

 

Clearly, it wasn’t going to work on the stranger sitting next to Dani, who simply chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “My name’s Emma. Emma Nolan. I’m assuming you’re the big scary group of lesbians everyone assumed I was a part of my first week here? Or do I have the wrong group of girls?” She gave a cheeky smile, and Dani felt her heart flutter slightly, not expecting the confidence to simply ooze off the blonde. She heard someone in the group snicker, and she shot a glance back, finding Aimee covering her mouth so suppress the laugh. Shaking her head, Dani waved over the group, giving them the go ahead that they wouldn’t scare her off.

 

Aimee and Kaitlin were the first two to come over to the counter, Aimee sticking out her hand for the girl to take almost immediately. “I’m Aimee, a big scary lesbian,” She gave an innocent smile, but was disappointed as Emma didn’t shake her hand at first, still looking at Dani as if she were waiting on an explanation. Aimee dropped her hand, sliding it into her jacket pocket as Kaitlin snickered at her, earning an elbow in the stomach. Dani looked from her girls to Emma, raising a brow curiously, “I mean, if you’re from Edgewater, that would be who we are. But in Wabash, and in this diner, we’re just known as the T-Birds. We’re harmless, mostly. But if Edgewater thinks we’re pulling in girls that look like you? We must be doing something right.”

 

If Dani wasn’t mistaken she thought she saw a slight blush on Emma’s cheeks, but it was gone in a flash as she turned her attention back to Aimee, now holding out her hand to take the girl’s. Instead of shaking it however, she brought it to her lips and pressed a light kiss to it, smiling into it. “Sorry for being less than a gentleman, Aimee was it? How uncouth of me.” It looked like Aimee was going to faint, not being used to having the moves put on her. No one in the group was, they were known as the lesbians of the area, so they all assumed they had to make the moves. Clearly, with Emma, that wasn’t the case. “If you’re the lesbians I’m thinking of, then I can see why people would be afraid. I mean, a bunch of hot ladies in leather jackets? Just having me in Edgewater is already causing a stir, so like what? Ten of you? They’d lose their minds.”

 

Surprisingly, all three girls surround Emma were silent, allowing Syd to push off the jukebox and saunter over. “The one time we slid through town they did. Well, all except Shelby. She didn’t seem to mind,” Syd joked, running a hand through her choppy hair before looking Emma up and down. “Wouldn’t be surprised if she’d made a move on you already, you seem like her type.”

 

Emma sensed a little bit of jealousy coming off the girl, but shook it off, standing from her stool and moving past Syd, going to the jukebox to play a song as she thought about the new information she’d been given. “Shelby? Curly brown hair? Cute button nose? Super bubbly and usually has that Pink Ladies jacket on?” She questioned, testing the waters with what she’d picked up on from just her few encounters with the Pink Ladies. She turned back as she spoke, clicking the button of the song after sliding her nickel in, and her suspicions were confirmed by the look on Syd’s face. “Don’t worry, she isn’t the Pink Lady I’m after.”

 

That caused some raised eyebrows from the T-Birds, who looked amongst themselves, trying to figure it out as a group who she could mean. “Shelby’s the only Pink Lady that pays girls any attention. Don’t waste your time with the others, none of them were biting at the idea of coming to the diner with us.” Dani spoke up, watching Emma intently as she sauntered back, clearly not worried too much about what the gang thought of her. She walked past them, grabbing her menu as Angie came back up from the front, smiling at the waitress. “Hey beautiful, would I be able to get just some fries? I ain’t too hungry, but I’d feel bad if I wasn’t able to leave a good tip for you.” Her nose crinkled as she smiled up at the tall woman, handing the menu to her.

 

Angie took it and playfully swatted Emma with it, clearly enjoying the compliment, “Flattery won’t get you everything in this diner sweetheart, but for you I’ll make sure Trent makes it a big basket of fries.” With that, she disappeared to call the order back to the cook, intent on letting all of the leather clad girls duke out whatever they needed to on their own.

 

“Look, I don’t want to cause trouble with any of you. I just wanted to scope out the place because I’ve got a date with one of the Pink Ladies coming up. Hopefully. She hasn’t said yes, but she also hasn’t said no. She said she’d tell me on Monday,” Emma realized that she might’ve prematurely come to scope out the place, but the look on Dani’s face told her that it wasn’t a bad thing. Clearly, there was an air about this place that made Edgewater stay away. And if it was these girls, well Emma would have to assure Alyssa that this definitely wasn’t a troublesome crowd from the looks of it.

 

Dani gave her one last look before turning to her group, looking over them all before she began speaking. Emma couldn’t quite make out what was being said, but it seemed to be a question of sorts, seeing as everyone was answering with nods, or shaking their head and looking at her. After another moment or two, Dani turned back around and smirked at her. “The only way a Pink Lady is allowed in here is if she’s with a T-Bird, so if you want to bring her here, you’d have to be a T-Bird. You fit the look, but how do we know you’ve got the spunk?”

 

Emma couldn’t help the laugh that fell from her lips, filling the diner as she looked over the group. “I mean, I don’t know how I’d prove my ‘spunk’ to you, but I can tell you right now that I could beat any of you in a race, or an arm wrestling competition. My grandma has me doing farm work for her, and back in South Carolina my parents had me doing the same. I’m not weak, and I’m not a baby.”

 

Kaitlin stepped forward at the mention of a race, looking Emma over before looking out at the parking lot, “It doesn’t look like you’ve got anything worth racing out there. All I see is my baby and some truck. And if you really think your truck could beat my Thunderbird, you’re mistaken pretty lady. I’ve never lost a race.” When Emma seemed less than impressed over the name drop of her car, Kaitlin looked back to Dani, who nodded to her. “If you wanna race, we can race. We’ll even make you a deal, if you can beat me we’ll let you join.”

 

“Sounds like a piece of cake, let’s go,” Emma laughed, before looking back toward the kitchen and shouting to Angie, “I’ll be right back to eat that and pay you! I gotta go show them how it’s done!” She winked, doing a finger wave toward the older woman who had peeked her head out before grabbing her jacket and pulling it on as she moved out the door. Once they laid the rules down, each car pulled out of the lot. Whoever made it to the stop light down the road first was the winner. It seemed easy enough to both of them, but the T-Birds didn’t expect Emma’s little truck to pack such a punch. When Dani waved their jacket to signal them to start, Emma was the first one out of the gate, her laugh filling the street as she sped down the street. She already had blown through the stoplight and was on her way back as Kaitlin began turning around to come back. She knew that she’d won, and she knew that they weren’t prepared for it. What Emma wasn’t prepared for however, was to see the jackets of the Pink Ladies as she made her way back to the diner.

 

Slamming on her breaks as she reached the lot, her eyes went wide, looking for Alyssa in the group. She wasn’t disappointed either, the girl of her dreams was standing amongst Shelby and one other girl that Emma hadn’t met yet. Parking and hopping out of her truck, Dani slapped her on the back, “Didn’t think you’d actually do it, but looks like you just earned your wings. And in front of some of the Ladies no less, think you impressed any of em?” Emma looked back at Dani with a shake her head, brushing off the comment as she looked on at the ladies. The new girl’s jacket said ‘Emma’ on it, causing Emma to raise an eyebrow for a moment before looking over to Shelby and Alyssa who were watching the group curiously.

 

“Fancy seeing you girls here. Is Kaylee going to come out of the diner and sucker punch me? Or am I free to look in your general direction?” She meant it playfully, making her way over to Alyssa and Shelby, “I know you said Monday, but you’re here now, so care to join me while I eat my fries? Or are you still wanting to wait?”

 

To her surprise, Alyssa leaned up and pressed a kiss to her cheek, lingering for a moment as both the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds collectively went ‘ooooohhhhh,’ clearly surprised by Alyssa being the one that Emma was after. The other Emma was the first to speak, looking over the pair with a smile, “We were passing through and Shelby wanted to stop and talk to Syd, we had no idea you were a T-Bird. It explains a lot.”

 

“I just became one, so now each of the girl gangs can have an Emma, because one’s more than enough for each.” Emma laughed, looking down into Alyssa’s eyes and feeling her heart hammer in her chest a little more than she anticipated. “Well ‘Lys? Want to come in?” She was hopeful that the girl would say yes, but when Alyssa looked around at her girls, she shook her head.

 

“I’m going to make you wait, for our date next Friday,” Alyssa said softly, taking both of Emma’s hands in hers, “I can’t have you taking me on impromptu dates, now can I?” By now Kaitlin had arrived back at the diner, making her way inside without a word. A few of the other T-Birds followed her, but Syd and Dani waited for Emma to finish. “Go eat, I’ll see you in English on Monday?” Emma nodded, still stunned as Alyssa gave her cheek another kiss before walking off, definitely getting her revenge for English on Monday. Emma turned back toward Dani and Syd as she heard the girl’s car drive off, touching her cheek lightly with a dopey smile on her face.


	5. something more than what they see

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa's week absolutely flies by as she prepares for her date at the Starlight

Alyssa didn’t know what had come over her at the diner, maybe it was not being in Edgewater? Or that she was with some of the girls that seemed very open to the idea of Alyssa actually wanting Emma around. Kaylee hadn’t wanted to go to Wabash to shop, so that felt like a weight off of Alyssa’s shoulders. Shelby’s too from the looks of it, considering she spent the entire time making eyes at one of the T-Birds. They’d stopped at the diner because she’d spotted the T-Birds, asking Alyssa if she wanted to stop. She said why not, knowing that even with the rumors, the T-Birds weren’t as terrifying or mean as her mother made them out to be. So she pulled into the diner’s parking lot, making sure all the girls had their jackets on so they didn’t look out of place. This was more of an impromptu meeting, and Alyssa didn’t want to lose any of her girls if things went south and the girls were dangerous.

 

She was leaning against the car, talking to the Emma that didn’t drive her up a wall about how maybe the T-Birds weren’t so bad, glancing over to Shelby every so often as the girl talked with Syd. Alyssa wondered what it was like to draw the attention of the T-Birds, what kind of girl you had to be. As if on cue however, that stupid red truck was pulling into the lot. Even from behind the wheel she could see Emma’s smirk and was determined to wipe it off her face. However, the look she got when Emma Nolan climbed out of the car was completely different. It was one of the softest looks Alyssa had ever seen, and it made her heart melt.

 

As she made herself known as a contender for Emma’s affections, despite the look that some of the T-Birds were giving her, she couldn’t help but kiss Emma’s cheek. A half hour after that kiss, she could still feel the sensation of Emma’s cheek on her lips, missing how her lips felt on the girl’s. She was so distracted that she didn’t even notice as she dropped off each of the girls. Soon enough she was parked outside of her own home, still touching her own lips with a soft smile. Slowly she made her way into the home, not saying anything to her mom as she passed through the kitchen toward the stairs, still in a daze. That didn’t stop Mrs. Greene from following after her however, asking where she’d been and who she’d been with.

 

“Alyssa! You need to let me know if you’re going anywhere after school! What if-What if those greaser girls snatched you up or something?! You don’t know what kind of stuff they’re into Alyssa! They’re not a good influence on you girls,” Mrs. Greene rambled, clearly worried that her daughter could have gotten hurt. Alyssa looked up at her, partially snapping out of her daze as she set her books down to take off her jacket. Her mother wasn’t going to stop rambling for a moment or two more, so Alyssa took the time to get ready to just remind her mother that she wasn’t around any bad influences. “You-You could’ve been kidnapped or, or turned into one of _them_!”

 

Sighing, Alyssa smiled at her mom, making her way to the older woman and taking her hands. “Mom,” She started, “I promise that I’m not going to be kidnapped, and I’m not going to join the T-Birds. I went to Wabash with Shelby and Emma. You know, the Pink Ladies? Well, not all of them, some of them had dates or homework, but Shelby and Emma wanted to go do some window shopping. Look for dresses for the Sadie Hawkins after Thanksgiving?” She knew that most of that was true, but it felt weird lying to her mother about some things that had happened. She would never be able to tell her mom about Emma Nolan, that was too far. Especially now that Emma _was_ a T-Bird.

 

“Oh, well okay just... Next time you go to Wabash, you have to tell me. Just in case those girls try anything and you go missing. I worry about you Alyssa, especially after what happened with your father. He-” Alyssa brought her mother into a tighter hug than normal, knowing that more than anything she missed her husband. There was nothing either of them could do to mend that hole in her heart, but Alyssa could warn her mom ahead of time about her leaving town for the day.

 

“I’ll tell you whenever I plan to go to Wabash, which starts now. I have a date next Friday, just for dinner,” Alyssa said, apprehensive to mention anything more out of fear of saying something wrong and outing herself to her mother. She saw the look on her face, like she was about to launch into the speech she had when Alyssa went on a few dates with Nick, and quickly Alyssa kept talking to cover it up. “Look, I know you have your business meeting out of town next Friday, but I’ll still come home by 10, and I’ll call you at the hotel to show you that I’m home.”

 

Mrs. Greene leaned down to press a kiss to her daughter’s head, smiling thankfully that her daughter had been raised so well. “You’re such a good girl, how did I get lucky enough to have such a wonderful daughter?”

 

Alyssa wasn’t so sure that she was so wonderful. She felt like she was hiding a big secret.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Monday morning rolled around without much of a fuss. The weekend was fairly mundane and boring, Alyssa got ice cream with Kaylee and Shelby, and later on called Trina for help with her math homework. It was just like any other weekend, except she couldn’t shake the idea that she had a date with _Emma Nolan_ on Friday to look forward to through the week. She didn’t know what that meant for how she was supposed to act during the week, but when the rose showed up in her locker Monday morning, she couldn’t help but smile and look around for Emma. She didn’t see the girl, but this time she was sure that this was from her. If it wasn’t then she was in for a complete surprise.

 

Tuesday morning rolled around without any problems either, another rose appearing in Alyssa’s locker. Kaylee made a comment about how it could just be Alyssa leaving the roses for herself, but the glare she got shut her up fairly quickly. “No, I know who they’re from,” Alyssa said, finally catching Emma in the hallway at the same time. She brought the rose to her face, sniffing it as she watched which way Emma turned. “I’m-I’m gonna run to the library quick, I’ll meet you guys in the quad for lunch,” She knew that she was being suspicious, but there was no way she couldn’t follow Emma. Except by the time she turned the corner she’d seen Emma take, the girl was no where to be seen. Had she turned the wrong way or did the blonde just walk that quickly?

 

Wednesday, there was a note instead of a rose, which Alyssa kept to herself until she was alone. It was really simple, explaining that the date was still on, but she needed Alyssa’s address to pick her up at. All smiles throughout English, she slid a note of her own into Emma’s book, only containing her address and a heart. In the reading groups for the day, Alyssa was paired up with Emma, Kaylee and Nick, so while tensions were a little high, Alyssa being sat next to Emma gave her the opportunity to be close to the girl again.

 

Thursday was rough for Alyssa, she was so excited for Friday but it showed in her face. That and Emma couldn’t keep secrets for too long, and had told Trina about the date, but not who it was with. Trina spread it through the rest of the Pink Ladies, who were curious about who it was with. Kaylee, being her usual bitter self, tried to grill her enough to get her to slip up. But Alyssa was determined to keep the secret to herself so that she could enjoy the date without too much trouble. Lunch in the quad was filled with Alyssa making heart eyes at Emma as if they were the only two people that truly mattered in the world. That the rest of the world wasn’t going to judge her for the way she felt about Emma. Shelby had to nudge her a few times so she could tone down the staring, only to catch her doing it a few minutes later. And if Alyssa wasn’t staring then Emma was, making it very obvious that even if she had the T-Birds jacket now, she still had her eyes on the Pink Ladies for one reason or another.

 

Then there was Friday. A day that Alyssa would call one of the best days of her life.


	6. won't you come out tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyssa wakes up earlier than usual Friday morning, and prays the day goes by quick enough so she can go on her date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is not the date scene i am so sorry, my brain made me write something completely different. the date scene is still gonna happen, just next chapter.

Friday came around and Alyssa felt herself wake up even earlier than she normally did, excitement getting to her as she skipped down the stairs to make herself some breakfast. Usually her mom was still in the house, since it was only half past six in the morning, but since she had her business meeting out of town today she’d left somewhere around five that morning. That left Alyssa to fend for herself and feel a little more like herself since she didn’t have to hide how she felt, not that she really could at this point. After a summer full of being able to run around Charleston with Emma, she was ready to hightail it to Wabash and feel like she could really enjoy her time with the girl.

 

As she danced around her kitchen, listening to the radio, she couldn’t help but wonder what Emma was going to wear on their date, and what her new friends were going to think of her. They seemed to like Shelby, but maybe that was just because Syd was trying to score a date with Shelby. Would they like her even though she was a Pink Lady? Even though she wasn’t ready to be out to everyone? The questions kept coming up in her head, but she knew that deep down it didn’t matter because Emma still liked her, despite all of the things she had learned about Alyssa. Despite knowing that some of Alyssa’s friends were the very people Alyssa was afraid of. Kaylee would flip her lid if she knew that Alyssa was going on a date with Emma, but it was so hard to say no to the blonde. There was a sort of a charm to her that Alyssa was mesmerized by. Maybe it was the jacket, or the smile that she gave when she saw Alyssa, or even just the thrill of doing something her mother wouldn’t approve of, but there was something about Emma that Alyssa _loved._

 

_Loved._ Was that the word Alyssa wanted to use to describe how she felt about Emma Nolan? It was a pretty strong word, one her mother hadn’t even really used much since her father passed. But that word just felt, right. It felt like the only word that could possibly describe how Alyssa felt when it came to Emma Nolan. She knew that she wasn’t ready to say it out loud, she couldn’t even say that she was going on a date with Emma out loud, so she would have to keep mulling over the idea in her head. Someday she knew that she’d be ready to say it out loud, but this was not the day. It might feel right to her, but that didn’t mean that the world was ready for it.

 

By the time it was seven, Alyssa was ready to speed out the door even if it would give her a little too much time before school. She’d be able to talk to Shelby about how she felt if she got there before Kaylee did, but there was definitely also the chance that Kaylee and Shelby would show up together, nullifying the point all together. She couldn’t say Emma’s name out loud then, and she’d have to deal with the questions about who the date was with again, even if she told them she wasn’t going to tell them. Monday would be bad enough, since her friends would want all the details about the date, even ones that she couldn’t give them. So if she could avoid talking about her date as much as possible, at least with anyone that wasn’t Shelby and either Emma, that would be the best option.

 

She sped toward the school, parking in her usual spot as she reached the lot. There weren’t a lot of cars here yet, but the students that walked or biked to school everyday seemed to be there. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the beautiful red truck that Emma drove, a smile spreading across her face as she caught the blonde jamming out a little too hard to the radio. She couldn’t help but giggle at how innocent and cute she looked when she didn’t think anyone was watching her. Alyssa saw her sing along into her hand like it was a microphone, giggling even louder as she climbed out of her car to go knock on Emma’s window. She made her way to the passenger side, tapping lightly at first but Emma didn’t hear her, the radio was cranked a little too loud. So Alyssa just watched her with an amused smile, tapping a little louder so she could be heard over ‘Hound Dog,’ effectively startling the blonde. She turned the radio down quickly and unlocked the car, seemingly losing her ‘don’t care’ attitude.

 

Emma motioned for Alyssa to get into the car, a bright smile not quite hiding the blush on her cheeks at the sight of the girl. Once inside the car, Alyssa reached over and squeezed Emma’s hand, smiling up at her, “Sounds like you were having a lot of fun in here. Do you always have a concert in your car before school?” Alyssa wasn’t going to judge Emma, having had her fair share of concerts in her car when no one was around. She got a playful glare in response from Emma, who slowly laced their fingers, eyes never leaving Alyssa’s.

 

“Maybe? I didn’t think I’d end up giving it to the prettiest girl in the school today though, I wonder what she’s going to think of me on our date tonight! I’m absolutely mortified!” Emma laughed, feigning anguish before leaning a little closer to Alyssa, eliminating most of the space between them in Emma’s already small truck. Alyssa felt her cheeks heat up, eyes dropping to their hands because looking Emma directly in the eyes might send her over the moon. She had no idea how she was supposed to handle the amount of affection she wanted to give Emma, when she wasn’t able to give her really any around people.

 

Edgewater was way too small to try and hide her relationship from her mother, but not from everyone else. When she finally looked back up at Emma, it felt like there was no air left in the truck’s cab. She met those hazel eyes and lost all sense of where she was. Suddenly there was no one left in the world other than Emma Nolan. Without thinking, Alyssa leaned up and pressed a kiss to the corner of Emma’s lips, wanting to fully kiss her but also wanting to wait until the end of their date. It wouldn’t be their first kiss, but it felt like a good way to make sure that she could kiss her. It would be the gentleman thing for Emma to do after all: walk Alyssa to her door after the date, and then kiss her under the porch light. It was such a romantic idea, that Alyssa all but wanted to guarantee that it happened.

 

Emma was surprised by Alyssa’s kiss, the blush creeping back up on her cheeks as she got the same goofy smile on her lips that she had at the diner. “I-” She croaked out, meeting Alyssa’s eyes before managing to find more words, “Could I-Could I kiss you?” Her voice was so soft that Alyssa wasn’t sure she heard her right at first. That didn’t stop her body from answering for her, nodding slowly while her stomach filled to the brim with butterflies. Everything was moving in slow motion, neither girl aware of other students arriving to the school as Emma leaned in. The kiss wasn’t rushed or full of need, it was probably the softest kiss that either girl had ever experienced. It was full of love and the affection that Alyssa couldn’t convey any other time, and as they pulled away Alyssa couldn’t help but want to kiss her again. She held back though, not quite sure that this was the place for it as her brain finally caught up to her actions. She remembered where she was and immediately put space between them, although she didn’t pull her hand back as a bright blush flooded her cheeks. “I-Emma...” She managed but it was as if the blonde already knew what she was going to say.

 

“Don’t worry about it, I know that you’re still scared. I don’t think anyone saw us, you’re alright Alyssa,” Emma said, looking out the windshield at all of the students in the quad. There were some in their cars, but no one seemed to be paying attention. If they had been they weren’t anymore, so Alyssa was in the clear to make a run for it if she needed to. But when the brunette didn’t move, Emma looked back over and found her looking at their hands again. “What’s going through your head?” She asked, wanting to make sure Alyssa was alright, that she was still okay with their date tonight.

 

“I-I want to be ready, I want to not be afraid to hold your hand or for people to see us kiss, but I’m not there yet Emma. And I’m sorry I’m not, but I want you to know that on our date tonight, I’m going to hold your hand, and I’m going to want to kiss you, I just... I don’t know if I can do it often in Edgewater,” Alyssa kept her focus on their hands, even as she felt Emma’s eyes on her. She needed to keep herself calm, feeling tears welling up in her eyes as she thought about how much could go wrong if they kept their relationship a secret. Someone could find out and if her mother wasn’t ready, Alyssa didn’t know what her mother would do.

 

Emma leaned over and lifted Alyssa’s head by hooking her finger under the girl’s chin. Giving her a soft smile, she leaned just a little further and pressed a light kiss to her lips. “You don’t have to worry about being ready yet. We can just hang out in Wabash, talk to the T-Birds or sit in the park on a picnic. Whatever you want, and whatever you’re ready for, I’ll be by your side Alyssa.”

 

Alyssa couldn’t help the goofy grin that reached her lips as she looked at every little detail on Emma’s face. The genuine adoration that she saw in the girl’s eyes blew her out of the water, there had never been another person that had looked at Alyssa like that. “Emma, you have no idea how much I care for you, I’ve never felt like this for anyone before and I promise that one day... One day I’m going to be ready and we’re going to take the world by storm-”

 

With a little giggle, Emma cut her off, squeezing her hand lightly, “But for now, we can take the little moments that we have. Like right now, before people arrive. And tonight, on our date? And if you ever can’t find me in the quad at lunch, I’m probably under the bleachers. So all you have to do is come find me baby.” _Baby._ The word made Alyssa’s heart flutter and the blush on her cheeks darkening as she met the girl’s eyes. Emma glanced at her watch, eyes widening at the time before she reluctantly pulled her hand out of Alyssa’s. Without another word, she shut off the truck and hopped out. Alyssa went to open her door but Emma was already there opening it for her with a slight bow. Alyssa giggled and hopped out, smoothing her skirt out and grabbing her satchel before resting a hand on Emma’s chest. Just as she did however, a gust of wind blew by, causing her to shiver at the cold air.

 

Without even blinking, Emma shrugged off her jacket and quirked an eyebrow at Alyssa. “You forgot your jacket when you left? Take mine, I only wear it for the style anyway and you definitely need it more than me.” As she spoke, Emma draped the leather jacket over Alyssa’s shoulders with a smile. “Don’t worry, the pins all got moved to the T-Bird’s one I got the other day. I haven’t worn it to school yet because I didn’t want a moment like this to be ruined with it. Maybe... if things go well... you can wear that one one day.”

 

Alyssa giggled, looking up at the slightly taller girl as she pulled the jacket a little tighter around her. “You really do know how to treat a girl right, don’t you Emma Nolan?” She asked, glancing around quickly before pressing one last kiss to Emma’s lips and pulling back to put some space between them. “I’ll see you at lunch? Or English?”

 

“I’ll be at lunch, can’t miss a chance to look at the prettiest girl in the world. And I most certainly can’t wait for our date tonight,” Emma said, sliding her hands into the pockets of her jeans as she spoke. She looked just as good without the jacket as she did with it, it was mind-blowing to Alyssa. “I’ve gotta get to class though, I’ll pick you up at seven beautiful!” Emma blew a kiss in her direction, winking at her before jogging off toward the school, leaving Alyssa to lean against her car for a moment and prepare herself for the rest of the day. If it was going to keep going like this, she couldn’t wait to see what else the day had planned.


	7. this is more than i dared wish for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date scene finally happened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in light of the prom closing, I want to thank the fandom for everything that it has given me and given others. I don't know where I'd be if not for the friends that I've made because of this show. I don't know where I'd be without this show giving me hope for things when I was down and out at it's premiere.
> 
> We can keep going strong, we still have each other.

Alyssa found her way to homeroom, then to her math class, and even to history before the first person asked her why she was in a different jacket. It wasn’t often that one of the Pink Ladies wore something other than the flamingo colored coat, but Alyssa wasn’t prepared for the question. She’d assumed she’d be able to make it to lunch before someone would ask. Aya had other plans though, looking at her with a confused look, “You aren’t leaving us are you?”

 

“No-Not at all Aya, I just forgot mine today and my date for the night was kind enough to lend me theirs,” Alyssa tried to keep her tone neutral, not wanting to give too much away as to who her date was with. She knew that she could trust Aya, but she also knew that there was a very good chance that someone else would overhear them.

 

“Okay good, because I don’t think any of us could survive without you. You’re kind of the backbone of the Pink Ladies, ya know?” The amount of sincerity that she had in her voice melted Alyssa a little, the brunette not wanting to let her friends down. There was something about her friends that made her think they could take on anything, and take any changes that Alyssa might want to make.

 

As lunch rolled around the Pink Ladies made their way to the quad for their usual spot. The only issue with that today was Shelby waving Emma over a little too enthusiastically, since it caused Kaylee and Kat to look at her with suspicion. “What? She’s a nice girl, Kaylee,” Shelby shrugged, not caring so much what other people thought. Pink Ladies Emma looked down at her with a knowing smile, eyes glancing over to Alyssa before waving at the T-Bird. Most of the girls seemed comfortable with her coming around, although Shelby raised an eyebrow at the lack of a jacket on the blonde’s body. “No jacket today Emma? I thought those T-Birds would’ve given you a new one by now.”

 

Emma looked at Shelby with a goofy grin, shaking her head at how obvious she was being. If they knew that she was going on a date with Alyssa they certainly were making it known that they didn’t care. Kaylee just looked annoyed, nudging Shelby with her arm before looking at Emma, “I know she waved you over here but why are you here? Don’t you have girls to convert or something?” Emma seemed unfazed by the snarky remarks coming from Kaylee, her eyes now focusing on Alyssa again and admiring how her date looked in the leather jacket. She took it upon herself to slide into the seat beside her, resting her arm behind her for a moment. It wasn’t her making a move on the girl, just a move to assert her dominance over the rest of the group that was looking on with wide eyes.

 

“You know, Kaylee, not every girl in this school is going to be _converted_ to the way I see things, but I should be allowed to talk to girls without you thinking I’m working some voodoo magic on them. Not everything is about my being a _lesbian_ ,” Emma tossed her head back to look over the crowd with a smirk, seeing how they all flinched when she used the word. It was a word they used to demean her and set her apart, but it wasn’t a word that Emma was going to let affect her. It was a word she found confidence in, a label to give herself in a world that wanted to label her in nothing but harsh words. “However, if there was a girl that wanted to be converted then I would gladly court them and buy them a milkshake. Of course, that might be asking too much of Edgewater.”

 

Alyssa looked at Emma with such an intense look of affection that if the blonde had been paying attention she may very well have turned into a puddle. Kaylee was staring at Alyssa, waiting for her to step up and say something about how Emma was treating everyone, but it wasn’t Alyssa that said anything. “Milkshake you say?” A feminine voice asked, strolling up to the table with a smile, “Mind if I take you up on that offer handsome?” Emma looked over with a cocked brow, looking the girl up and down as her arm that wasn’t behind Alyssa came to rest on her stomach. The girl was pretty, but she wasn’t Emma’s type in the least. She couldn’t pinpoint why she wasn’t, she just didn’t have Emma jumping out of her seat to flirt with her. “Name’s Maria, you must be the girl the school’s buzzing about, Emma Nolan, right?”

 

Emma nodded, pursing her lips and sitting forward as she felt all eyes of the Pink Ladies fall on her. “Yeah, that’s her but what does it matter to you?” Shelby said with a raised brow, not blinking as she all but challenged Maria to keep talking. It was a power move, one that Alyssa wasn’t ready to make herself yet. She was thankful for Shelby, knowing that even if she didn’t think that someone had her back in this, Shelby would prove her wrong time and again.

 

“Hey now, Shelby… I can fight my own battles and make my own decisions,” Emma laughed, raising a hand up before she looked over to Alyssa with the softest look imaginable. “As much as I’d really love to take you to Wabash for a milkshake, I’m going to have to pass Maria, you’re not much my type. But if you ever find yourself there, I’m sure one of the other T-Birds would love to buy you one.” She gave Maria a genuine smile, trying to seem like she just wasn’t interested, even if the reason she wasn’t was sitting right next to her.

 

Alyssa felt like her world was closing in on her, everything becoming too much for her all at once. She was grateful that Emma wasn’t taking the girl up on her offer, but it wasn’t settling the feeling in her stomach. It was as if she was jealous but to an extreme amount and it wasn’t a good feeling. She set her hand on Emma’s thigh briefly, standing and looking to her friends. “I-I don’t feel so good, I’ll see you guys later…” She dropped her eyes to Emma for a moment before darting off to the bathrooms to calm herself down for a few moments before she had to go off to her class.

 

After the school day ended, English flying by because it was a test day, Alyssa sped home to prepare for the date. She knew that she still had several hours before the date, but she didn’t want to waste any time with more questions from the Pink Ladies. They were already all over her with questions as it was, so if they saw her getting ready and humming to herself about how incredibly over the moon she was that she got to be herself for a night. No more charades, no more masks. Just Alyssa Greene and Emma Nolan.

 

Time seemed to fly by as she prepared, applying a light amount of lip gloss and curling her hair before she picked out her favorite skirt. It was a light purple, with just enough fluff to it that she could make it swirl around her when she turned. Alyssa paired it with a white turtleneck top with short sleeves hoping that Emma thought it was as cute as she did. Soon enough it was 6:30 and she was counting down the minutes until Emma said she’d arrive. The fluttering in her stomach was completely different from what she’d experienced at lunch, even if it still made her feel a little queasy.

 

Seven o’clock on the dot there was a knock at her door, startling Alyssa even if she was expecting it. She darted to her door, a giddy giggle leaving her lips as she peeked through the peephole, seeing Emma standing there. She opened the door and was stunned by how her date looked. Emma was dressed in a white button down tucked into her pants and her T-Birds jacket over top. In her hands was a bouquet of roses, which Alyssa noticed only because Emma’s hands were shaking like she was nervous. “I-I got you flowers, I wasn’t sure if that was something people did on first dates but uh...” The nervous blonde thrust the flowers out in front of her with a shy smile, one that Alyssa had never seen before.

 

Taking the flowers, Alyssa sniffed them and smiled before setting them on the table by the window and heading out the front door. “You’re the absolute cutest Emma, you didn’t have to get me flowers,” She took the girl’s hand and leaned up to press a kiss to her cheek, “But thank you, I love them.” She saw the light blush dusting Emma’s cheeks and couldn’t help but giggle again, letting her lead Alyssa toward the truck as she felt her stomach flutter again. Was this what it was like to genuinely want to go on a date with someone? To genuinely feel something more than just friendship? Alyssa had never felt this connected to someone but the way that she’d grown closer to Emma over the summer, and even now in Edgewater, she wasn’t sure she could go back to a life that didn’t have Emma in it.

 

The drive up to Wabash was spent mostly singing along to the radio, Alyssa being blown away by how good Emma sounded. The drive, which was a half an hour at least, felt like it took five minutes from how happy Alyssa was. She was on cloud nine, and from the looks of it so was Emma.

 

Emma truly was on cloud nine, her fingers lacing through Alyssa’s as they got out of the truck to head into the diner. The Starlight was adorable at night, fitting the cute aesthetic that Emma had been going for all night. The flowers, the actual dress shirt, her head and heart telling her that she should ask Alyssa to go steady, it was all falling into place and melting the blonde into putty for the girl of her dreams. She opened the door for her date, smiling to Barry behind the counter as he gave her a finger waggle. “I’ll be right over Emma!” He said, skipping off toward where they kept the menus.

 

Emma let Alyssa pick a booth, heart hammering in her chest as she thought about how this was really happening. She was really getting to go on a real date with Alyssa Greene and that blew her mind. She looked up at Alyssa after shrugging off her jacket, setting her hands in her lap as words just came tumbling out of her mouth. “I really can’t believe that we’re actually here. I actually get to go on a real date with you... You don’t know how long I’ve actually wanted to take you on a real date Alyssa...” Her eyes met Alyssa’s, and if felt like her body had gone to absolute mush.

 

She didn’t have to be a puddle for long however, as Barry came skipping over as if he were as light as a feather. “Hi ladies! My name is Barry, and I’m going to be waiting on you tonight! What can I get you two cuties to drink?” He looked down at them with the biggest smile on his face and Emma couldn’t help but wonder how people didn’t peg him as gay from the moment they saw him. Between his floral button downs and skipping around the restaurant, it was more obvious than Boy George. After he took their drink orders he skipped off again to return back within a minute flat with their drinks. “I’ll give you two a bit to look over the menu, Dee Dee’s cooking tonight so everything is going to be absolute perfection,” He dropped his voice a little quieter, doing a show whisper as he smiled between the two, “I’d stay away from the fish though, she hates making fish.” With that he was back to skipping off into the kitchen, where a woman’s voice could be heard ranting about how she should never have put fish on the menu.

 

Emma looked over to Alyssa, hearing the girl giggle at the older woman’s rant, feeling a smile grace her lips. “I’ve only eaten the fries here, but Dani said that their food was to die for,” She flipped through the menu with one hand, her other resting on the table as if an offer for Alyssa to take it if she’d like. As it turned out, Alyssa did, letting her hand slip over and take Emma’s as she flipped to the back of the menu. They eventually told Barry what they’d like, both going with cheeseburgers and fries, before they were left to talk amongst themselves.

 

“You know, Emma, I didn’t know if you were actually serious about this date at first? I’d wanted to think you were but I’m just...me? Maybe it was just nerves because I like you more than I’ve liked anyone before, but I genuinely was worried I was going to get stood up,” Alyssa didn’t quite meet her eyes as she spoke, clearly ashamed of doubting the blonde but Emma gave her hand a gentle squeeze, coaxing her to keep talking about how she felt. “I just didn’t want to get my hopes up because you’re such a gentleman and I don’t know... I guess I just wasn’t sure that I was the type of girl that you’d want to take on a date. Or leave notes for. Or give flowers too. But I was wrong and I’m so glad I was wrong.”

 

“Alyssa, you’ve been the only person I’ve had eyes for since you tripped and fell in the sand at the beach back in May. You’re absolutely adorable and everything that I ever could have hoped to find in a girl. And this might be our first date, but I don’t want it to be our last. So I’m really hoping that I don’t make a fool of myself tonight at some point,” Emma admitted, finally catching Alyssa’s eyes as she spoke, “How about to ‘break the ice’ since this is our first real date, we play twenty questions? Ask each other about ourselves so we can get to know each other more than just by what we are at school?”

 

And so they did, throughout the rest of the dinner they asked each other the weirdest questions. It started with simple ‘what’s your favorite color?’ and escalated to fits of laughter as Alyssa dared to ask Emma if she’d rather be buried in nothing but her underwear, or be buried in a suit of armor. The restaurant might have been fairly empty other than the other T-Birds who were hiding in their usual booth and the workers, but to Emma and Alyssa it was full and bright and the best night they’d had in a long time. The date felt like it was over too soon, Emma paying for their meal and leaving Barry a tip almost the same size as the check, before they were on their way back to Edgewater.

Parking outside of Alyssa’s home, Emma hesitated getting out for a minute before she did so to open Alyssa’s door for her. She wanted to process her feelings in the moment, but everything was moving too fast for her brain to take it all in. She didn’t want to say goodnight to Alyssa, to see this small moment of happiness end and to go back to her home quite yet. Because as much as she loved Grandma Betsy, she wasn’t Alyssa Greene. She led the brunette up to her porch, looking down at their joined hands as she felt Alyssa step closer. “I had a wonderful time tonight Emma, thank you for the most perfect first date. I wish I didn’t have to go in, but my mom’s expecting a call any minute...” Her voice trailed off as chocolate eyes waited to meet Emma’s hazel ones.

 

Emma looked up at Alyssa and the blonde felt her heart stop. There was a look in Alyssa's eyes that absolutely melted Emma on the spot. It was so full of love that she didn't know what she was going to do with herself. She was in too deep at this point. Emma Nolan was in love with none other than Alyssa Greene, and she couldn't find the words to say it out loud. Instead she just leaned in and pressed a kiss to Alyssa’s lips, lingering for just a moment before pulling back with a gentle smile. “Goodnight Alyssa,” She whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead before moving off of the front porch toward her car. She waited to leave until Alyssa was safely inside, letting out a content sigh once the girl of her dreams was safe and sound in her home.


	8. fly me to the moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The few weeks that follow Alyssa's date with Emma pass easily, almost as easily as the girls fall in love

Monday morning rolled around and Alyssa was still on a high from Friday night, having had the whole weekend to herself to just relish in how wonderful the date was. She’d had her doubts, but Emma had come through and gone above and beyond all expectations that Alyssa had in her head. Her mother had gotten back Sunday afternoon, apologizing to Alyssa for missing church, even though Alyssa had skipped as well, telling Shelby and Kaylee that she wasn’t feeling well. Mrs. Greene had asked for all of the details about her date, if the boy she went with was treating her right and if he was a gentleman. Alyssa assured her that her date had ‘been the best gentleman that anyone could hope for’ knowing that it was certainly a correct way to describe Emma. Now she had to go to school and face her friends asking her the exact same set of questions, except they wouldn’t be as easy to skirt around.

 

Alyssa pulled up, early once again, and sighed as she closed her eyes. She didn’t know what was going to happen today, or when her next date with Emma would be, but she was prepared for whatever the world threw her way. As if cued to arrive by Alyssa’s thoughts slipping to her, Emma pulled up in her truck, jamming out in her own world once more. Alyssa peeked over to her out of the corner of her eye, smiling slightly at the goofiness that the girl exuded. There really was no way Alyssa would ever think of her as the hardened badass that everyone else thought she was. To Alyssa she was a big softie, and it was the best thing to start her day remembering.

 

Almost like she could hear Alyssa’s thoughts however, Emma looked over with a blush, waving excitedly at her. There was the brightest smile on her face and she looked around before hopping out of her truck and moving toward Alyssa’s car. Before she could get out, once again the always chivalrous Emma Nolan was opening her door with a bright smile, noting how Alyssa had her jacket in her hands. “I think I forgot to return something to you on Friday,” She held it out, practically ramming it into the blonde’s chest as she looked around to see if anyone was looking at them. The lot was pretty much empty other than the few students at the very edge of the lot opposite of them.

 

Emma wrapped an arm around Alyssa, taking the jacket with her free arm before she pressed a light kiss to her cheek. “You know, my friends are going to think I’m just a big softie, I’ve got a reputation to uphold so people like Kaylee still are scared of me,” Her tone was almost joking, her hazel eyes shining in the early morning sun. They were absolutely dazzling, something that Alyssa wasn’t used to seeing so early in the day, or this up close. Without taking her eyes off of Alyssa’s, Emma began swaying them slightly, the music from Alyssa’s still running car flowing through their small space. It was as if something had come over her that melted her icy heart to nothing but putty in Alyssa’s hands.

 

It was the same for Alyssa as she heard Emma start singing along to the radio those eyes being the lifeline that she latched on to as they danced slowly, “Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars,let me see what spring is like, on Jupiter and Mars.” Her voice was like butter, and Alyssa could do nothing but smile and hold back the urge to kiss the daylights out of Emma. “In other words, hold my hand, In other words, baby, kiss me,” Emma dropped her voice, spinning Alyssa in their little dance before pulling her just a little closer with the prettiest smile that Alyssa had ever seen in her life. If she wasn’t a goner on Friday, she was now. Without thinking about who was around and could see them, she leaned up to press a light kiss to Emma’s lips, letting it linger as the song came to a close.

 

As she pulled away she heard a shocked gasp come from somewhere behind her, her heart immediately shattering at the lost puppy look on the blonde’s face. She looked around for who the gasp came from, eyes settling on Shelby, who was looking at her with the biggest smile on her face. “I knew it! Oh you guys are too cute! I thought Syd was joking when she said that you two went on a date together!” She skipped over to them, bouncing on her heels as Emma just stared at her with a slightly amused smile. “You should wear her jacket Alyssa! It would be so cute! Like, I know you guys aren’t going steady or anything, but like... I think you’d look so cute in her jacket!”

 

Alyssa looked up at Emma, who was looking at her with that same amused smile, biting her lip before deciding that maybe Shelby did have a point. She’d already worn one of Emma’s jackets, so what would be the harm in wearing it again? If anyone asked she could just say that she was cold and Emma was kind enough to lend it to her. But that wouldn’t work when even some of the Pink Ladies weren’t going to be wearing their jackets from the heat today. Emma, being the mind reader she was, pressed another light kiss to Alyssa’s lips before shrugging off the jacket she’d been wearing that day, her other jacket getting tossed into the back of her truck. “Wear this one, that way I get to look at you and call you my girl in my head, and maybe subtly send the message to everyone else.”

 

Alyssa looked down at the jacket before she slipped it on, seeing the T-Bird logo painted across the back of it. It would be a risky move to wear it and forget to give it back to Emma at the end of the day, but hearing Emma call her ‘my girl’ made her heart flutter enough that she pulled it on and pulled it close around her. The sleeves were just a little too long for her arms, and she felt like it wasn’t her style in the least. But as she got more comfortable in the fabric, she found herself almost lighting up at the idea of everyone else getting to see her in Emma’s jacket. At the idea of someone liking her enough for that to be a thing that happened to her.

 

And so that’s how her day went, some people gave her looks or asked her if she’d left the Pink Ladies. She just told them that Emma had given it to her after seeing her shivering in the wind that morning. She was still a Pink Lady, just a Pink Lady that kept ‘forgetting’ her jacket. Kaylee wasn’t in school that day, or the day after because she had the flu, so most of the questions about Alyssa’s date were easier to answer. From the looks on everyone’s faces they were a lot more understanding than she’d expected them to be. She even felt like she could talk to them about Emma in depth and they were just so accepting. She didn’t use the word _lesbian_ yet, but she knew that it was going to come up eventually.

 

The next few weeks continued in much the same pattern, although Emma and Alyssa snuck off during lunch a few times a week to spend their lunch period together without so many eyes on them. They were able to be themselves with ease, falling further in love with each other with each passing moment. Neither would say it, but the knowing looks they gave each other said everything that they weren’t ready to say.


	9. love grows where my rosemary goes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Sadie Hawkins rolls around, Alyssa has to find a way to introduce Emma to her mother without causing too much of a scene. Unfortunately for her, a scene finds her nonetheless

Time passed by in the blink of an eye for the lovebirds, August turned to September and September to October. The leaves began turning and falling, the air gaining it’s comfortable chill that meant Alyssa could steal Emma’s jacket a little more often. She always wore the one with the blank back though, after Kaylee had caught her in Emma’s T-Birds jacket and flipped out. It wasn’t a fun experience, or one that Alyssa wanted to repeat, so she kept her attire on the down low, just feigning that she wasn’t talking to the guy she saw anymore, but she kept the jacket. Kaylee seemed to buy it, but began watching her even closer. It was as if Alyssa couldn’t get a single day’s break from scrutinizing looks, or questions from her mother about who she was seeing, because the smiles that Alyssa gave now were different. They were more at ease, and reached her eyes at the very idea of talking about or to Emma.

 

Alyssa always told her mother that she just wasn’t too serious about the boy yet, that she didn’t want her mom to meet him until she was absolutely sure that this was something that was going to last. That worked until the Sadie Hawkins dance was announced, and Alyssa had mentioned that she might ask someone. Her mother was all but demanding that she meet whoever Alyssa asks, because it’s her right to make sure that she approves of who her daughter dated. “Mom! I don’t think you need to meet he-him! It’s just a dance! He hasn’t even asked me to go steady yet!” Alyssa was trying her hardest to put off the meeting. She knew what her mom would say, how she couldn’t be one of _those_ girls, that just wasn’t possible. That this was just a phase or that she was sick in the head. Alyssa hadn’t had time to prepare an argument against her mother yet.

 

“I don’t care! You, Alyssa, are going to let me meet this boy because I want to know what his intentions with my daughter are! Your-“ She paused, taking a deep breath and holding her hand over her mouth to choke back what probably would’ve been tears, “Your father would have asked the same thing of you, so I don’t care. You’re bringing him over for dinner. Tonight. You can tell him that it’s at my request, and I’m making spaghetti tonight.” She had a matter-of-fact tone to her voice, one that Alyssa knew better than to mess with. But that didn’t stop the young girl from storming off as she began to formulate a plan. If she brought Emma over there was a very large chance of the dinner going wrong, but if she didn’t bring Emma then her mom would know that she wasn’t actually seeing the boy that she brought. He wouldn’t know anything about her, or about the dates that they’d been on. It was truly a battle of which was the bigger disaster, one that would have to be settled by lunch that day.

 

Grabbing her bag as she stomped to the living room, Alyssa heard her mom telling her to drive safe and to have a good day. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes, grumbling under her breath as she got out the door. The whole ride to school she was formulating her plan, hoping to catch Emma before Kaylee and Shelby got to school and she wasn’t able to talk to Emma about it. Luck was definitely not on her side though, as instead of parking next to Emma’s red truck, she ended up parked next to someone else. She recognized him, but definitely didn’t remember his name, so when he called her name as she got out of the car, she tried to pretend she didn’t hear him. She kept walking toward the quad, even as he called for her again, a little more irritated this time. It wasn’t until he had caught up to her and jogged in front of her that she couldn’t avoid him anymore. She stopped, just short of touching the grass, and looked at him with the most irritated look she could imagine. “Why do you keep ignoring me baby? Can’t a guy try and get a date with a pretty girl around here?” His voice was way too loud for seven in the morning, and way too boisterous and confident for her liking at any point in time.

 

Running a hand through her hair, Alyssa looked around for anyone that could get her out of this situation, but she didn’t see anyone that she was close enough with. Why couldn’t Kaylee and Shelby pull up right about now and save her from this? “Listen, I’m not interested in a date. I’m sorry, I’m trying to focus on my studies,” She knew that it was a lie, but she also knew that it was the only one that she could tell without perpetuating this situation and his attitude. If he thought she was seeing someone he might try and convince her to see him instead. If he knew she was seeing _Emma_ well that was an entirely different situation that she wasn’t prepared for. “My mom said I’m not allowed to date until after I graduate, it’s too distracting especially since I’m attempting to get into an Ivy League.”

 

“Come _on_ Alyssa, you can’t even spare one date? It’s not like I’m asking you to go steady with me or anything. Your mom doesn’t even have to know, I’ll keep a secret for a girl as smokin’ as you,” His voice got lower as he took a step toward her, causing her to impulsively take a step back. Alyssa wasn’t used to getting flirted with by anyone, despite her looks. Most people strayed away from her because of the stigma of dating someone who wasn’t white, but that didn’t matter to her either way. Because she wasn’t interested in most people, especially not ones named Emma. Then it clicked. Emma. She should be arriving anytime now, all Alyssa had to do was go back to her car and lock the doors so that he couldn’t try and keep it open. That would successfully end this conversation and give her time to prepare herself for the task of the day.

 

Just as she took a step back again, slowly trying to make her way back toward the car, he took another step or two closer, keeping the distance between them the same. If this was how it was going to be her car wasn’t going to be an option, there was no way she would be able to get in and close the door. She stomped her foot, glaring up at him this time, since he was almost a half foot taller than her. Even with his height on her, his letterman jacket nearly swallowed him so his intimidation factor was taken down just a notch by it. “Listen, I’m not interested. Even if I was allowed to date, I-I wouldn’t want to date you, you’re not my type.”

 

He seemed taken aback by that, fist clenching as he took another step forward, closing the distance between them. “What do you mean I’m not your type? I’m a football player _and_ a wrestler. If I don’t hit one of your boxes, then I hit the other. It’s not like there’s any greasers around here that could possibly be a threat to me, the only _thing_ close is that dyke that just transferred,” His voice was more aggressive, clearly put off by the idea that Alyssa wouldn’t want someone who was a sports star, a popular person. But the brunette really didn’t want anything to do with him after a display like this.

 

At this point there were people watching them, trying to figure out the situation and see what they could gossip to their friends about later. And as if on cue, that beautiful red truck sped into the parking lot, parking next to Alyssa’s car in it’s usual spot. Alyssa whipped her head around to look at Emma, slight fear in her eyes as she did so before turning her head back to face the boy once more. Now that Emma was in the lot, she could possibly get to her car, but she needed to get one last push in before she made a break for it. “Listen, no I don’t think you’re my type. You aren’t kind, you aren’t the right body shape. You’re cockier than anyone I have ever met, and frankly, you kind of smell. And none of those are qualities that I look for in someone I want to date, so _Tom_ if you could just leave me alone that would be fantastic!”

 

She turned on her heel and made to leave just ready to be done with everything going on around her. Tom had other plans though, even if Alyssa wasn’t sure that was his actual name, grabbing her wrist with enough force to whip her back to face him. What he didn’t see coming was Emma getting out of her car and walking the long way around so he didn’t see her, jacket already off and thrown over her shoulder as she prepared for what was next to come. “Listen here you fucking n-“ Tom never got to finish his sentence, Emma hearing him start back up before throwing a punch at the side of his head as hard as she could. The force of the blow made him release his grip on Alyssa reaching for his face and shouting out in pain. Alyssa flew backward, picking up Emma’s discarded jacket as she watched the blonde push up her sleeves a little and prepare for more of a fight.

 

“Don’t you know to leave girls well enough alone? Just because you’re-“ Emma ducked out of the way of a punch as she spoke, kicking her foot out to send him back a few feet as she did so, “-popular doesn’t mean that you can fucking-“ another punch was thrown at her, this one connecting with her shoulder and sending her back a few steps before she charged at him, tackling him onto the concrete with a groan, “harass girls like that!” A fist connected with the man’s face, Emma hearing a crack as she did so but it was already too late to not get her message through. Alyssa watched on, clinging to Emma’s jacket in fear that her girlfriend would get hurt. They were fairly evenly matched, at one point Emma ending up on her back before she managed to get both of her feet under Tom and threw a gnarly kick right up into his gut. It sent him flying off of her, and she stood up, wiping blood from her nose. “Will you just take one for the team and admit you’re not going to win this? You have a bunch of wrestling moves, but you don’t have the punches. You don’t have the guts. And you certainly don’t have the girl.”

 

Somewhere along the way, Kaylee, Shelby, Emma, Aya and Gabi showed up to the fight, Gabi and Shelby holding on to each other as they watched Emma pretty much win the fight. Kaylee let Aya grab her arm, but seemed more annoyed with the fight than anything. She looked at Alyssa, seeing how worried her friend looked and scoffed, “You know that she’s probably only fighting for you because she’s trying to get with you. Throwing a last ditch effort in before you pick a guy for the Sadie Hawkins.” Alyssa ignored her, fighting the urge to run forward and pull Emma off the ground every time she ended up there. At one point it didn’t look like Emma was going to get up when she was knocked down, Alyssa’s heart all but stopping as she clutched the jacket tighter. It was a fake out however, because as Tom came in for the final punch, Emma jumped back up, smashing his head into the ground with a grunt. “Oh fuck! Okay god, I-“ Tom held his head, rolling in pain as Emma stood up and brushed the dirt off of her now blood stained white shirt.

 

“Don’t harass girls, ever. Do not, _ever,_ try using that word again. I will not hesitate to fuck up that face of yours some more,” Emma spat, stumbling her way toward Alyssa with a pained smile on her face. Alyssa rushed forward, grabbing her arm and trying to steady her as it looked like she was going to topple over. “C-Careful, I don’t want to get blood on your turtleneck. Sorry bout just interrupting your conversation there beautiful, but it looked like he wasn’t treating you too kindly.”

 

“Emma, please, you’re dripping blood everywhere. I-Let me take you to get cleaned up. A-And to a doctor if you need it,” Alyssa didn’t care what her friends thought, she just saw Emma absolutely wreck one of the school’s star athletes in her honor. Even in a world where Alyssa wasn’t interested in Emma, the best thing she could do in this situation was give Emma first aid. A cough pulled her from her thoughts, Alyssa turning her head to see Shelby offering her a handkerchief to stop Emma’s nosebleed. Alyssa took it with a grateful smile, holding it up to the blonde’s face and holding it there with a gentle touch. “I’ll have Shelby and Aya cover us for the classes today, a-and I can ask Gabi to grab your notes for history? I don’t think you should be at school like this, just… Just in case?” Emma could only nod, stunned into silence by Alyssa’s touch and locking onto her eyes for dear life. The look in her eyes was probably the softest, most loving look that Alyssa had ever seen from her, or from anyone, and it absolutely melted her. Leaning up, she pressed a gentle kiss to Emma’s cheek before leading her back toward her car and helping her in and speeding off toward her home. She didn’t want to waste time asking Emma where she lived, especially when she knew her house was empty so she could patch Emma up in peace.


	10. intertwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma meets Mrs. Greene

“I need you to come to dinner tonight,” Alyssa said softly, busying herself with tending to the scrapes and cuts on Emma’s face as she began trying to approach the situation at hand. She had to bring Emma over here when her mom was home, she had to out herself without fear and she wanted Emma to be ready. “My mom says that whoever I’ve been seeing needs to come over. Because I- with the Sadie Hawkins coming up, she assumes that I’m asking whatever boy I told her I was seeing. But when I tried to tell her that I either wasn’t bringing someone or that it _wasn’t that serious_. She insisted. But uh-She’s making spaghetti?” As she finished, she looked into Emma’s eyes with a tentative smile.

 

Emma just gave her a small laugh before leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to Alyssa’s lips. “I would love to come to dinner and meet your mom. But are you ready for this? I don’t want you to feel pressured to bring me, and I know that I’m not ideal for parents in any situation,” She motioned down with her unharmed hand, her shirt still bloody and her jeans torn slightly. She wasn’t wearing her jacket, Alyssa had set that on her couch when they arrived at the Greene residence so that she could get a better look at how to treat all of the various scrapes.

 

Alyssa just frowned, pouting slightly at the idea of Emma not thinking she was good enough to meet a girl’s parents. “I know that you aren’t ideal for my mother to meet. But that’s only because you’re a girl. If you were a boy, she’d be over the moon right away because, Emma, you are the sweetest, most beautiful, most considerate girl that I have ever met in my life. There is no one I would rather go on dates with, or spend my days thinking about. You are the best person I have ever met in my life,” She let her voice soften, her hand moving up to cup Emma’s cheek as she spoke. She wanted to catch the girl’s eyes, but she wasn’t able to until the very end. In that moment, she was overcome with emotions, leaning in and pressing a tender kiss to Emma’s lips. As they kissed, Emma’s hand trailed up Alyssa’s arm, ending up on her hand and holding it against her face as she smiled against Alyssa’s lips. The moment wasn’t perfect, but it was perfect to Emma.

**~~~~~~~~~**

 

This wasn’t how Alyssa wanted to do things, with Emma covered in bruises and cuts from defending her against Tom’s crude comments, but this was how she was doing things. She looked at her front door, heart hammering in her chest as she clung to Emma’s hand for dear life. This was a make or break moment for not only the Greene family, but Alyssa’s mental stability. “Are you ready?” Emma asked, looking to her with a worried expression. It was incredible how after everything, the blonde was still there for her no matter what. Alyssa didn’t know what she’d done to deserve the unconditional love and care that Emma gave her, but she also wasn’t sure that she’d give it up for anything in the world.

 

“As ready as someone can be when they’re about to drop something like this on their only family, but I don’t want to keep hiding you, especially when I-I wanted to take you to the Sadie Hawkins…” Alyssa didn’t quite meet Emma’s eyes as she ‘popped the question’ a little too nervous to actually look at the girl. This wasn’t something she’d expected to ask Emma when standing outside of her house, but it was as good of a time as any. She’d mentioned it earlier in the day, but hadn’t actually asked.

 

“Are you… asking me? Because if so then, yes. But on one condition Miss Alyssa Greene,” Emma chuckled, pretending that laughing didn’t hurt her chest a little from the bruises forming. She turned to face Alyssa, not hearing the door opening as she did so, Mrs. Greene standing in the doorway. “Will you go steady with me? You-You can totally say no but… I’ve been waiting to ask you until- Well until the right moment. But now’s just as good a time as any… right?”

 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Mrs. Greene spoke up, looking in between the two girls with an incredulous look, “And why on Earth are you asking my daughter _to go steady_? Alyssa Greene where on Earth is your boyfriend?” Alyssa’s head had snapped to her mother as soon as the older woman began speaking, her entire body draining of any confidence she’d had at the start of this. She didn’t know how to approach her mother in this situation, how to stand up to her mother and make her see her side of things.

 

She began stammering as Mrs. Greene looked on at her with a raised brow, “I-Yeah.. About the uhm, about the boyfriend thing. I-I was lying. I don’t have a boyfriend,” She dropped her head, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at her shoes. She felt Emma’s hand slip into her own, lacing their fingers and giving a gentle squeeze to coax her into feeling a little more ready. Alyssa didn’t know if it was working or not, but she managed to get her next sentence out before she felt the first tears fall, “I have a girlfriend.”

 

**~~~~~~~~**

 

“I just don’t understand why you can’t find a nice boy Alyssa. You’re the prettiest girl in that school and you deserve to be happy and live a normal life,” Mrs. Greene had a tone to her voice that Alyssa felt cut into her skin. She watched her mother angrily throw the ingredients into the saucepan for the spaghetti, clearly not wanting to see Alyssa’s side of the matter. When she’d asked Alyssa to bring her partner over, she’d been expecting a boy, and Alyssa knew that, but there was a part of her that hoped her mother would be okay with things. That she would be willing to see Alyssa’s side of the matter, maybe that was still a possibility, but Alyssa just didn’t know how she could bring it up without sounding like she was reaching.

 

She looked over at Emma, who was curled into herself, trying to be as small as possible even with her leather jacket swallowing her whole. She smiled sadly at her girlfriend, reaching over and rubbing her back before it hit her. “Mom, I-I know you want me to have a normal life, but that already isn’t possible. You know that, you know how hard it was to get Edgewater to even let me enroll as a student. You know how they looked at me, and looked at you. We don’t look alike mom. A-And I know that you fought so hard to get me a good life, but you also remember what your experience was mom… and I-I know that you’re nervous but, not everyone is going to be that mean. I love you so much mom, and I-I want to live a good happy life.” She paused, seeing her mom turn to her just as she turned her head to face Emma. Emma was also looking at her, tears in both girls eyes and if they looked toward Mrs. Greene, they’d see she was mirroring them perfectly. “Emma makes me happy mom, happier than anyone ever has. And I know that things will be rough, but love isn’t perfect, and it isn’t meant to be perfect,” The young Greene turned her attention back to her mother as the tears freely fell, “I love her. And I don’t want to lose either of you. Please mom…”

 

Veronica Greene had been through a lot of things in her life, and the last thing she wanted was to see her daughter go through the same things she did. She was an absolute anomaly when she married her late husband, and it showed in how people treated her and how they continued to treat her daughter. Her late husband would have wanted her to accept her daughter no matter what, because why should they put her through the same things that they were put through by their families? She sniffled, wiping her eyes dry of the tears that she refused to let fall, Mrs. Greene looked up at her daughter and then to the girl that she’d brought home before nodding with a sad smile. “I-I don’t want to lose you Alyssa, you know that. Your father would want me to be supportive, because he would’ve been supportive,” She wiped her hands on her dish towel before making her way over to the blonde girl she hadn’t been properly introduced to yet. She let her eyes really look over her, taking in her appearance and how she looked around as if she was absolutely terrified. The two things didn’t quite match up, but Mrs. Greene understood. She held out her hand and waited until Emma took it with a shaky one of her own. “I’m sorry I didn’tintroduce myself right, I’m Alyssa’s mom, Veronica. It’s really nice to meet the girl who has my daughter happier than I have ever seen her. I hope you can forgive me for being so rude.”

 

Emma didn’t know what to say in response to the situation, her head spinning at the idea of not only being yelled at an hour ago for being with Alyssa, but now being welcomed with open arms. It was the weirdest case of whiplash, but this seemed like it had worked out in their favor, Emma’s body relaxing as she felt her other hand be taken once more by Alyssa’s. “I-It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Greene, my name is Emma Nolan. You’re uh-a thousand percent forgiven. I mean, considering my parents and I no longer speak, I can forgive a parent who’s willing to listen to what their child wants. I wish more parents were like you Mrs. Greene,” Her voice was full of adoration and sincerity, even as tears pricked up in the corner of her eyes. It was hard not having a proper family, but if there were actual parents that would accept their child, then maybe the world wasn’t so bad. Most of the T-Birds lived on their own, and if they didn’t they lived with someone else in the group. No one had had an easy life after coming out as queer, but maybe there was hope. The world might be rough for a pair of lesbians, but if they had a support system, they could take on the entire world.

 

The rest of the dinner went smoother than introductions, Mrs. Greene demanding to know every little detail about Emma that the girl would provide, before beginning to grill her on the intentions she had with Alyssa. It was nerve-wracking for Emma to say the least, but it was easily made up when Alyssa’s mother decided it was baby picture time. After some playful teasing, and a few genuinely embarrassing pictures, the trio decided to call it a night. Mrs. Greene set out to go pick up a few groceries, leaving the pair alone to say goodnight.

 

Walking Emma to the door, Alyssa looked up at her with a loving smile, absolutely glowing from how the night went. Emma leaned down brushing their noses together playfully before grinning at her, “You know... You never did get a chance to answer my question...” Alyssa looked at her quizzically, thinking about the day and what question she could’ve been asked. It didn’t hit her until she saw Emma bite her lower lip, almost nervous about Alyssa actually forgetting the question. “I-” was all Alyssa said, blushing a bright red as Emma took both of her hands in her own, looking at her with the same loving eyes that she’d given her throughout dinner. “Alyssa Greene, would you like to go steady with me?” Emma asked, swaying on her feet slightly as she did so.

 

“Of course! Without a doubt Emma!” Alyssa giggled, leaning up and capturing Emma’s lips in a kiss. This one wasn’t like the ones they’d shared earlier in the day, this one was devoid of all hesitation, which slightly caught Emma off guard. She dropped one of Alyssa’s hands, her arm moving to wrap around Alyssa’s waist, the shorter girl’s free hand moving to rest on her upper arm with a contented smile. When they pulled away, both girls couldn’t help but giggle, Emma stealing one last kiss before skipping out to her truck. She waited until Alyssa was inside, not seeing her peek out the window, before doing the biggest fist pump she could manage. Emma Nolan was on cloud nine, so enthralled with Alyssa that there wasn’t a thing in the world that could bring her down.


	11. here i am with arms unfolding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School proves to be a different fight than Alyssa and Emma were expecting. Not everyone was like Mrs. Greene, some of them were better and some were worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this took so long to get out, but I wanted to make sure I hit enough points where we made progress in subplots, main plot, and set up for some character development

What Alyssa hadn’t expected when she said she’d go steady with Emma, was her girlfriend pulling up to her house at seven fifteen in the morning to give her a ride, saying that she thought maybe since they both liked to arrive early, they could ride together today. Alyssa giggled, not having quite been ready to go to school yet. She pulled Emma inside, saying that she’d just be one more moment as she squeezed the girl’s hand. She needed to finish applying her lipstick and grab her satchel and then they could head out. It really did only take another moment more because with one last swipe of lipstick and a quick spin to grab the satchel from the table, she was ready. Emma couldn’t do anything but watch with an amused smile, wondering how she’d genuinely gotten lucky enough to meet Alyssa. There was nothing about the girl that she didn’t absolutely adore, her heart soaring as she heard Alyssa sing in the car, or laugh about really dumb jokes that Emma would make, specifically to hear the laugh.

 

The looks they received as they pulled up to the school a little later than their normal time were startling. Alyssa knew that some of the students suspected that the pair were together, but the ones that didn’t seemed to be staring the most. Alyssa felt scrutinized, her heart hammering in her chest. The sound was so loud in her ears that the only thing deafening it was the feeling of Emma’s hand in her own as they walked toward the quad. Most of the pink ladies were probably already waiting for Alyssa to arrive, probably full of questions about what happened yesterday and why she took Emma to get cleaned up. The first face that greeted her was Shelby, who seemed more than over the moon at the pair holding hands. Emma was the first to speak, her eyes scanning over the girls as she looked for any angry faces. Both girls knew there’d be at least one, but it didn’t seem like Kaylee had arrived yet, and the three girls that were with Shelby were either talking amongst themselves, or seemingly zoned out and half asleep despite it being even louder than normal in the quad. “Shelby, you seem more peppy and excited than normal, something good happen?” Emma kept her voice light and teasing, almost playful as she looked at the brunette that was practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

 

“You mean other than one of my best friends _finally_ getting the girl?” Shelby kept her voice hushed, looking around to see if anyone was listening to her in fear of outing herself, “This totally means that I can ask her questions on how she did it!” Alyssa felt her hand leave Emma’s as Shelby practically tackled her in a hug, “You’re an inspiration Alyssa, you have no idea.” Alyssa knew that she was different, she wasn’t white and she wasn’t straight, those things setting her apart from everyone else hadn’t really clicked with her until now. She knew that she’d been scared to come out, but now that she could be out, seeing how someone else who was like her being scared but less so now that she had someone to look too, it practically melted her.

 

She clung to Shelby for dear life, feeling tears prick up in the corner of her eyes and her voice trembling as she spoke. “You have no idea what you mean to me Shelby. This is a scary world to live in, but having someone like you makes it worthwhile. You’re my best friend, and I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for you. This school might not be the best place for girls like us, but we can make it better. Together,” She kept her voice soft as the tears fell, Emma moving to give them space as she began talking with Aya, Emma, and Trina about history, Alyssa barely hearing her ask about a test that they had coming up. She was too busy breaking down at the idea of not having Shelby in her life.

 

It seemed that her best friend was feeling the exact same way, Alyssa hearing a sniffle in her ear. This was a hard life, it was hard to get it right, but Alyssa knew that she’d definitely come onto the right path by convincing her mom to let her come to this school. She didn’t know much about Shelby before hand, but coming to Edgewater instead of continuing in Indianapolis, where things were ‘separate but equal’ had brought them together in a way nothing else could have. “You just are so unafraid to be yourself ‘Lys, and I want to be more like you. You just are so brave and I love you so much,” Shelby’s voice wavered as she spoke, pulling back from the hug to reveal her cheeks red and tear stained. She cupped Alyssa’s cheeks, smiling at her and whispering, “Thank you for just being you. That’s more inspiring than anything that’s happening in the rest of the world to me.”

 

As the two girls pulled away from each other, both visibly still crying from the hug, Emma looked up from the history book the rest of them were pouring over. The blonde smiled at the pair, running a hand through her hair and holding out a hand to Alyssa. Alyssa grinned and skipped over to take it as she listened to her girlfriend talk, “You know Shelby, I can’t thank you enough for being who you are as a person. You’re one of the sweetest, most caring people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I know we probably got off on the wrong foot, but I want to rectify that, with not just you but all of Alyssa’s friends. I came on really strong, and probably made _some_ of you uncomfortable.” Alyssa pressed a kiss to Emma’s temple as she spoke, feeling her heart swell at Emma’s attempt to smooth things over with everyone. This might not have been the group of Pink Ladies that had a problem with her, but knowing that she’d make an attempt with everyone was more than Alyssa could have asked for.

 

“Emma, we definitely didn’t get off on the wrong foot. What you pulled the first day brought me... Brought me closer to Alyssa than I ever thought I could be. Knowing that the girl I call my best friend related to me in more ways than just our skin color is such a relief. It-It came as a surprise at first, but I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t pulled a stunt,” Shelby moved to join the group, sitting beside Trina and looking at the pair in front of her. She smiled at how content Alyssa looked to finally be able to be herself, “And I don’t know how you guys told Alyssa’s mom, but I applaud you. My parents would never accept me like that, not without me practically breaking down in front of them.”

 

Alyssa let out a soft chuckle, raising an eyebrow at Shelby’s mild dramatics before leaning against Emma’s chest. She felt the blonde’s arms wrap around her and sighed comfortably, “I practically did. My mom wasn’t happy at first, she opened the door when I was asking Emma to the Sadie Hawkins, and she kind of flipped her lid. But I-I told her that I she just had to look to her own marriage. Like, even now after my father’s been passed for a few years, she still gets looks because of me. Because I don’t look like her, but all she wanted was to be accepted. And that’s what Emma and I want.”

 

“It was that easy?” Aya asked, head tilting to look at Alyssa, mildly confused by the idea that her mom just accepted her like that. Alyssa knew it was hard to believe, but if someone truly loved you, they’d love you no matter what. Her mother was one of those genuine people who could understand what Alyssa meant by wanting to be accepted no matter who she loved. Her mother couldn’t help she fell in love with her dad, and Alyssa couldn’t help how she felt for Emma. She leaned her head back to look up at Emma, who was watching her with the most loving look in her hazel eyes.

 

“Aya, when you really love someone, no one can get in your way. Those who really love and care about you would stick by you, even when you do something they might not entirely agree with,” Emma’s eyes didn’t leave Alyssa’s the entire time she spoke, either from the fear that all of this would go away if she did, or just from the sheer amount of love that was pouring out of her at the moment, “Love conquers all and I’m so happy that Alyssa’s mom understood, especially since my family didn’t.”

 

“That’s so cute, oh my god I want someone to look at me like Emma looks at Alyssa,” Aya whined, sticking out her bottom lip as she looked at the rest of the Pink Ladies. Some more had begun arriving, Kat and Gabi dragging a new face up with them just as Aya continued pouting.

 

Both Emmas seemed to notice the new arrivals however, Alyssa was pulled from her daydream as her girlfriend was the first to speak. “Hey, you new?” She kept her voice very nonchalant but didn’t miss the variety of pins on the girl’s denim jacket. At Emma’s acknowledgment the rest of the girls began looking over to the girl.

 

“This is Chris,” Kat explained, setting her hand on the girl’s shoulder, looking to Aya and Trina first before panning over. Aya was looking at the new student with a look in her eyes that Alyssa recognized all too well. It was the same look she got the day she first met Emma. “She just transferred in from Ohio. We ran into her in the parking lot and she asked where people hung out before class. I hope you guys don’t mind?” As Alyssa looked around the rest of the girls, gauging their expressions she couldn’t help but giggle as several of the girls didn’t know how to respond. At one point the Pink Ladies had been mean and exclusive, but as they strayed from the more mean and bitchy aspects of the group, they all became big softies who didn’t know how to talk to people. Girls specifically.

 

“I don’t think we mind, welcome to the group Chris. We’re the Pink Ladies by name, but Emma over there,” Emma pointed to the other Emma, grinning, “Is a T-Bird and a total softie.” Emma Nolan feigned a shocked expression, mock glaring to her Pink Lady counterpart before waving toward Chris with a grin. Gabi slid her hand into Chris’s to pull the girl over to join the side of the table with Aya and Trina, Kat going to sit next to Emma and Alyssa.

 

None of the girls really batted an eye at the closeness of Emma and Alyssa, up until Chris really settled in. “I-Are you guys-” She asked, not wanting to finish the question for fear of being wrong, but Alyssa just smiled and nodded for her to continue, “Are you guys dating?” Alyssa noticed how the girl fiddled with the pin on her jacket, not quite being able to see what it said, but noticing the flag pin on the other side of it.

 

“Yes, we’re dating. This is actually the first day that anyone other than us knows, we really hope that you don’t mind?” Alyssa kept her voice soft, leaning forward in Emma’s arms to reach her hand across the table in front of Chris. She wanted this new girl to feel comfortable with them, and comfortable in the school.

 

Chris looked at her hand before taking it and giving it a gentle squeeze with a smile, “I just wasn’t sure there was going to be anyone else like me here. Ohio wasn’t exactly kind, but this town seemed so small I didn’t want to get my hopes up.” Her voice was soft, but Alyssa couldn’t help but grin at how genuine she seemed. As she spoke, she’d looked around at the table, eyes landing on Aya and Gabi at the very end. Aya was the first to speak up, smiling at Chris, “You don’t have to get your hopes up here. We might be slowly learning but we’re learning about each other together. Emma and Alyssa are super cute together, but uh-not all of us are that lucky. Some of us are still discovering? And then there’s Kaylee, but she’s a problem for lunch.”

 

No one could miss the collective eye roll at the idea of Kaylee having an opinion on everything that was happening. They knew that lunch was going to be a big problem, but Alyssa had time to prepare herself. The morning would be full of questions and looks, and she could gear up for what was essentially going to be the equivalent of taking on a dragon in their den. They couldn’t just ignore her either, she was a staple of the Pink Ladies, and had been there longer than Alyssa had lived in Edgewater. “I-You guys don’t seem to like her too much? Is she someone to be afraid of?” Chris asked, looking between Aya and Emma, a brow raised in slight fear.

 

Alyssa, still holding Chris’s hand, shook her head but let Emma take the reigns for explaining Kaylee. “She’s an overgrown child basically. Look, I’ve only been here a few months, and that girl has said nothing nice about me and called me a ‘dyke’ more times than I can count. But she’s a lot of talk, and no action. She just doesn’t quite get it, despite an alarming number of the girls getting it here. I didn’t think when I came to Edgewater that there would be this many accepting people,” The blonde wrapped her arms a little tighter around her girlfriend and looked at every Pink Lady as she kept talking. She truly hadn’t expected this many of the girls to actually accept them, and even if it wasn’t all of them, it just really went to show that not everyone was what they seemed on the outside, “But I’m really thankful that there are. That they accepted Alyssa and I without hesitation, and that some of them,” Emma paused and looked directly at Shelby with a knowing smile, “are learning to accept themselves. So Chris, despite Kaylee being scary to some, if you’re comfortable with who you are, we will protect you. Not just me, and Alyssa. But my friends will, and I think some of these girls will for sure.”

 

As the warning bell rang, the conversation had to come to a close, but all of the girls seemed to flock around Chris, leaving Emma and Alyssa to lead the group off toward the school. As they made it inside, Aya led Chris off to find her first class, everyone else breaking off into smaller groups to the classes they shared. Alyssa found herself sinking into Emma’s side and looking up at her girlfriend as they finally stopped outside of Alyssa’s first class of the day. Emma smiled back down at her, leaning down and pressing a light kiss to her lips before stepping back and almost directly into Nick, who glared at her before looking to Alyssa. She ignored him, taking Emma’s hands and stole one last kiss, “I’ll see you at lunch?”

 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world babe,” Emma chuckled, accepting the kiss before jogging off to make it to her class on time. Alyssa watched her go before practically falling into the classroom and into her seat. This day was going to be a weird one, but Alyssa couldn’t help but think that maybe it was worth it. Especially if she got to kiss Emma like that all the time.

 

By the time lunch had rolled around, Alyssa’s relationship was the talk of the school. This wasn’t ideal in any way, but she knew that it was coming. It wasn’t hard to see why two girls dating would be the talk of the school, but she’d hoped that it wouldn’t have happened this quick. She wanted to enjoy her lunch period without having to feel everyone’s eyes on her. She met up with Emma at her locker, stealing another kiss before interlacing their hands and heading out to the quad. She was so excited to not have to longingly look at her girlfriend from across the quad, but she knew that Kaylee would be waiting for them.

 

“Alyssa, I didn’t want to believe what they were saying! What in the world are you doing?! What would your mother think!” Kaylee started yelling as soon as the duo made their entrance to the table. The rest of the girls were talking amongst themselves, attempting to avoid the conflict as much as possible. Alyssa wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but after taking down her mother’s disagreements, Alyssa had some faith she could do the same with Kaylee. “Hanging around a lesbian! People were saying that you guys were _kissing?_ Emma isn’t the kind of influence you need! Some-Some _dyke_ isn’t sitting with us for lunch! I don’t care if she’s your best friend!”

 

That certainly wasn’t something that Alyssa was expecting, so Kaylee _didn’t_ catch on that her and Emma were dating somehow. But that didn’t change that literally every word that came out of her mouth was offensive in some way, shape or form. Emma took a step forward, ready to defend her girlfriend but Alyssa just held up her hand, resting it on her girlfriend’s chest. “Awww is the dyke wanting to fight? I wouldn’t think you’d start a fight with a girl, wouldn’t want to put off anyone who might be like you. Not that there’s anyone here, why not just transfer to Wabash?” Kaylee’s taunting tone was more than enough for Alyssa to lose it.

 

“What Kaylee? You can accept me for the color of my skin, but you can’t accept Emma for not liking girls? What kind of logic is that? Where in your mind is it written in _fucking stone_ that me being black, and Emma being gay, are two separate offenses to people, and that only my _offense_ can be accepted?” Alyssa snapped, tossing her notebook to the side as she stood and glared at the girl. She stood in front of Emma, who by all accounts should be able to protect herself, trying to shield her girlfriend from the insults being tossed her way. She felt the blonde’s hand rest on her waist, trying to bring a sense of calm about the situation.

 

“Alyssa you can’t help the color of your skin, that’s not your fault that you’re black. Emma is a whole different story, she’s a lesbian.” Kaylee explained, seeming to feel like her logic was valid in the situation, which only aggravated Alyssa more. There was no way to get through to her about how this wasn’t a choice either. This was going to be a tooth and nail fight, and she knew that as much as Emma probably wanted to step in, this was a fight that she needed to have herself. She needed to answer the questions and take down the dragon herself.

 

“You’re saying that her being gay is the line you’re drawing? Even if logically she can’t help that either? People don’t turn gay Kaylee, they just are who they are. And if you’re going to not accept Emma for being gay, then you’ve got a whirlwind of shit coming your way. Because she’s not the only one in this school who’s gay. I-I’m gay. I”m a lesbian, and I love Emma Nolan.” Alyssa felt her blood boiling as she fought tooth and nail for what she believed in. It felt good to finally get it off of her chest, but she knew that there was going to be backlash headed her way. Shelby looked at her from across the table in fear, whether for her own safety or Alyssa’s the girl didn’t know, but that didn’t matter to her. What mattered was making a change that she believed in, even that change wasn’t something that a lot of people were ready for. Now that she’d explained it to her mother, and made her see that how she was treating Alyssa’s relationship reflected how people treated Mr. Greene and her fifteen years ago,she felt like she could take on the world. If her mother could love her despite her ‘flaws’ then so could everyone else. And if they couldn’t then they didn’t deserve a spot in Alyssa’s life.

 

“I-I never thought of it like that. But you don’t know anyone else that’s gay. I-You could just be going through a phase Alyssa, you could just think it’s a fun… rebellious thing? You know how hard your mom is on you with school, you could just be looking for an outlet to rebel!” Kaylee explained, losing some of her traction while she looked around at the other Pink Ladies for support. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t see any of that support coming through, her eyes landing on Shelby who usually took her side for everything. “Shelby? Don’t-Don’t you agree?”

 

“I-I don’t Kaylee… I’ve seen how Alyssa looks at Emma, and how Emma looks back. And- I broke up with Kevin for a reason, and you might think it’s a stupid reason Kaylee, but I like one of the T-Birds, and she likes me back. I think. It wasn’t something I chose or something I was seduced into, it’s something that happened just like you and Nick happened. I fell into my feelings and they’re not ones that I want to hide from anymore. Emma and Alyssa shouldn’t have to hide either, and if you really loved us the same way we love you, you’d accept us,” Shelby had so much sincerity in her voice that there was no way she could be hiding anything. All of the emotions and hiding that the three girls had to do over the past few months had drained them of any ability to care about other people’s feelings on the matter.

 

Emma leaned over Alyssa’s shoulder, looking to Shelby with a teasing smile toward her. She took a moment to press a kiss to her girlfriend’s temple before speaking, her tone very matter-of-fact, “Syd has the biggest thing for you, and I’m not supposed to say anything but she _might_ want to go steady at some point.” A quick elbow to the gut from Alyssa left Emma groaning, glaring playfully down at the girl, “What? She deserves to know that she’s head over heels for her. What with her cute button nose and the giggle that Syd _never_ shuts up about. They’re a goner at the mere mention of you.”

 

Shelby turned a beet red, ducking her head before feeling Emma and Aya both nudge her with a giggle. “You really think they are? I was.. thinking about asking her to the Sadie Hawkins but I didn’t know if she was into me like that,” Shelby peeked through her bangs, a shy smile on her lips as she looked at Alyssa and Emma. There was a moment of silence between the group, Alyssa thinking about how she ever thought that Shelby wasn’t like her. She was so head over heels in love with Syd that at this point there was no turning back. The only thing missing from the scene was Syd making some dramatic entrance. That would be hard, considering it was noon and she was more than likely in Wabash.

 

“There’s only one way to find out, you gotta ask them,” Emma kept her voice very matter-of-fact, knowing that she was right and it gave them a reason to go to the diner. It didn’t change the fact that Kaylee was still fuming and glaring at them. She’d stopped talking at some point, but still wouldn’t look at Emma. “They’re supposed to be hanging out at the Starlight pretty much every night leading up to Saturday. That’s Alyssa and I’s date night, so usually the gang tends to just leave the place be. They watched us for the first few, but now they go cruise the area, usually ending up in some corn field pretending to be ghosts.” She knew that calling out her friends for their nerdy actions when they couldn’t defend themselves was a low blow, but Emma also knew that she’d never be able to tell anyone otherwise.

 

She had to admit, her friends were weird, and she loved how weird they were. And if her weirdo friends could find love like she had, then she was going to help them in any way she could. “You’re telling me that Syd and Dani? The two big badasses of the T-Birds, pretend to be ghosts at night? That is probably the dorkiest thing I’ve ever heard!” Shelby giggled, looking over to Gabi and Trina, who were already bursting into laughter. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. “Okay, so maybe I can swing by there tonight? If anyone wants to come with they can? I’ll buy milkshakes!”

 

“Well, I’m not going to say no to a free shake!” Gabi laughed, looking over to where Aya was still busy talking to Chris about something or another, “Although, I don’t know if Aya’s gonna be free. Maybe you and I can go?” She had an excited gleam in her eyes that was all too recognizable, but a little harder to place than Shelby or Alyssa. This was a group of girls that were finding themselves in a way that they probably didn’t think was possible before the summer started. Emma certainly didn’t think she’d find herself in Edgewater, Indiana, but here she was, feeling more herself than she ever had. The girls spent the rest of their lunch making plans, whether or not they were going to meet up and crash the T-Bird’s Starlight hang out, and who they were taking to the Sadie Hawkins. Emma didn’t catch a lot of the conversation however, being too busy talking to Alyssa about their date plans, and how pretty she was.

 

~~~~~~~~~~

Shelby hadn’t come to the Starlight alone before, so she wasn’t quite sure if she was confident to do what she set out to do. She’d already put off asking Syd yesterday when they’d come, but it was going on Wednesday and she wanted to ask before the weekend. There was just something about the girl that shook her to her core and prevented her from speaking in coherent sentences around Syd. But here she was, standing outside the diner, heart in her hand as she prepared to finally face her feelings. She knew that she liked Syd, and that she wanted to see more of Syd, but there had been something keeping her from making that first move. She didn’t have Kaylee breathing down her neck anymore, the girl hadn’t said two words to her since she’d admitted having feelings for Syd. Maybe it was the end of their friendship, but it was the start of something better for Shelby.

 

Bracing herself, she slipped into the diner, attempting to make a quiet entrance, but the bell jingling gave her away, seeing Barry and Dee Dee come out from the back. Angie was over at a table, so it must’ve been an all hands on deck sort of day for the diner. She waved at Barry, sliding up to the counter, her nerves not allowing her to look around for Syd quite yet. “You hear for a milkshake? Or something else today sweetheart?” Barry leaned on the counter across from her, putting his chin in his hands as he smiled at her. She knew that he wasn’t stupid, he knew that things were going on between some of his local girls and the Edgewater girls. He never asked questions or pushed them to talk about their feelings, even if he was probably the gayest person to set foot in the Starlight. He’d once described himself to Shelby as ‘gay as a bucket of wigs’ and had her laughing for what felt like hours, but now he knew that this wasn’t a joking matter. He saw the look in Shelby’s eyes and he wished that he could have that look again, but watching these young girls find themselves was enough for him.

 

“No milkshake today, I’m here for another reason. Sorry Barry, I’ll have one of your famous shakes another day. Today,” She took in a deep breath, reaching over and taking the older man’s hands, “Today I’m here to ask Syd to the Sadie Hawkins dance.” She watched as Barry began dancing in place practically squealing like a school girl over the idea. “Hey! Keep it down, she might see you! Then she’ll know something’s up!” She looked around, pretty paranoid that Syd would see her or Dani would clue her in. No one in that gang seemed to be able to keep secrets from each other for longer than a day. As she looked around, no one seemed to really be looking directly at her, although she did catch Dani sauntering up to the counter, making eye contact with them for a brief moment before they came to stand beside a girl Shelby kind of recognized. She didn’t pay much attention, figuring it was just Dani attempting their moves on another girl, turning her attention back to Barry.

 

“Look, I know she’s over there because she’s been talking to Angie all afternoon. The girls have been non-stop talking about your friends, wondering about how everyone’s taking it up in Edgewater,” Barry was definitely poking around for some answers, but there weren’t any that Shelby was really able to give them. The parents had a few things to say, but nothing more than what they said when Alyssa and Shelby came to Edgewater. She just brushed them off at this point, her own parents not saying much about the situation.

 

“Some parents are complaining, but I can’t say much more because I learned to just ignore it. You can only get harassed for things so many times before you just start letting it roll off your back,” She gave a half smile, not really knowing what else to say on the matter. She was just here to ask Syd out and then leave, but Barry definitely meant well and wasn’t going to let her go down without a fight. “People already harass me for not being white, it’s not much different if they harass me for not being straight. It’s the same either way. But I-I’m sure that Alyssa and I can talk to you about it more at some point Barry. I’m going to go try and get Syd’s attention.”

 

As she stood up from the stool to leave, Dani looked over from where she was still flirting with the girl, smiling at Shelby. “Syd’s been looking at you since you walked in Shelbs, what kind of spell you got her under?” Dani was all fun and games, but Shelby couldn’t help the blush that crept up at the idea of actually having the girl’s attention. The goofy smile on Dani’s face only grew as she watched Shelby blush and scurry over to the table of T-Birds.

 

“You just know how to make all the girls blush, don’t you?” Maria chuckled, looking back at Shelby before turning her attention to Dani again. She stirred her milkshake as she gave Dani a once over, making sure that the T-Bird knew she was. “Yet you don’t blush easy in return, now how is that fair?”

 

“Well, beautiful,” Dani chuckled, letting their hand rest on Maria’s hip as they thought about their next words carefully. Their attempts with girls had been falling flat lately, leaving them a little lost at what ones would work and what wouldn’t, but they thought that any were worth a shot. “How about, you let me pay for your milkshake, and you can keep trying to make me blush? You’ll be trying for a while, but if it gives me a reason to talk to you more, I think it’s worth it.” Without waiting for Maria to respond, Dani slid money over and set it under her shake cup, giving a thumbs up to Barry. Maria looked at the money before looking up at Dani with a playful smile. “Wanna take a walk?” Dani offered, wrapping their arm fully around the girl before Maria began leading the pair outside. This definitely was going better than they’d expected, now all Dani could do was hope to not mess it up.

 

Back inside the Starlight Diner, Shelby had finally worked up her courage to make her way to the T-Bird’s table. The table had been laughing and having a wonderful time with Angie, one of the waitresses, but as the brunette made her way to the table, they began to fall silent. All eyes were on her, and if not on her then on Syd, who was staring at her with what could only be described as the softest look humanly possible. Syd practically jumped up, when Shelby stopped, wrapping her arms around the girl as a greeting. “Hi Syd,” Shelby giggled, practically melting against the girl. She never quite got used the feeling of the leather jacket on her face, but it gave her a reason to bury her face against Syd’s t-shirt.

 

“Hey buttercup, what brings you here all alone? This is like, the third time I’ve gotten to see you this week,” Syd couldn’t resist the urge to press a light kiss to the top of Shelby’s head as she relaxed. Usually no one in the T-Birds really let their guard down around each other, even if they were their most genuine selves around each other. The bond they had didn’t mean that they talked about their feelings beyond what was necessary. But with Shelby, there was a sort of spell that came over Syd, and she couldn’t help but practically melt at the mere sight of her.

 

As if reading each other’s mind, both girls pulled back enough to look each other in the eyes. At the same exact time they spoke, “I wanted to ask you something!” Snickers sounded around them as the rest of the T-Birds looked on, Syd biting her lip and shooting a glare at her friends before looking at Shelby again. “I-You go first! Mine can wait!” She said, taking Shelby’s hands in her own as she wondered what the girl of her dreams could possibly have to ask her. It could be one of a million questions, which left Syd anxious as all get out.

 

“I-Well, I wanted to know if you were doing anything next Friday? It’s the Sadie Hawkins back in Edgewater and well, I was kind of hoping,” Shelby blushed and looked at their hands before meeting Syd’s eyes with a hopeful smile, “I was wondering if you would want to be my date?” The look in her eyes made Syd’s heart skip a beat and before she could comprehend what was happening, she leaned down and closed the distance between her and the Pink Lady, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

 

When you kiss someone for the first time you always imagine there to be sparks or fireworks happening behind you. It’s supposed to be some magical thing that happens and you just know that you’re meant to be with someone. At least, that was what novels had told Shelby, but she knew that it didn’t happen with Kevin, and it certainly hadn’t happened with anyone else she’d kissed. She’d begun to think that the spark wouldn’t happen to her like it was always described. But in that moment, when she was caught off guard, it felt like electricity flowed through her body. She melted against the girl, hands gripping her jacket lightly to keep her from leaving at all. She didn’t want the moment to end, but as Syd pulled back from the kiss the rollercoaster just kept going. She couldn’t handle the lit up look in Syd’s eyes, but the words that fell from the lips of the girl that had just now effectively stole her heart and locked it away were something she never thought she’d hear, “Yes. But uh- will you go steady with me? I’d like to go as your girlfriend, if you’d let me?” Shelby giggled, blushing even more if that was possible before leaning up and answering in the same way Syd had, feeling her now girlfriend smile against her lips. This had gone even better than expected, and as she eventually dragged Syd out of the diner, and toward her car to go shopping for an outfit for Syd, she didn’t miss Dani opening the door of their car for Maria. It looked to her like everyone was getting a happy ending this week.


	12. i could hurt someone like me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaylee=GROWTH

Things had always been easy for Kaylee. She’d had the perfect life, and the perfect boyfriend. Her best friend was better than anyone she’d ever known, until she wasn’t. The hit that Shelby, who she thought was going to be with Kevin by the end of October, was actually one of _them_ was a hit that made Kaylee rethink everything that was going on in her life. Her mom had always told her that deviants like Emma and Shelby weren’t to be trusted, but her mom also didn’t like that her daughter was best friends with someone who wasn’t white. That was something that Kaylee had fought for days with her mother on, until the conversation was dropped for good. She knew that even if Shelby had a different skin color that she was still the same on the inside, at least that’s what her reasoning had been. But this whole thing with _Syd_ had brought those worries and fears her mother had back up again. Maybe she’d been right all along and Shelby was a bad influence, she was a deviant, but Shelby was happy. She was happier than she’d ever been with a boy, she gushed and she looked so content. It looked like the same look that Alyssa had when she thought about Emma.

 

Kaylee had never had that look, felt those feelings, when she thought about Nick. Did that make her a bad girlfriend? Was she supposed to feel like Alyssa and Shelby felt when she looked at her boyfriend? Come to think of it, she’d never felt those romantic feelings for Nick. He was popular, and he was nice to her, but he was mean to everyone else. Kaylee felt like when she was with him she had to be an entirely different person, with her friends she could relax. She didn’t have to worry about them not liking her for her. So why did she react like that when they wanted the same kind of worry-free friendship? She’d ruined all of her friendships in one fell swoop, and now she was sat in her bedroom, alone with what could possibly be the biggest mistake in her life looming over her.

 

Kaylee was sat on her bed, wondering what she was going to do. She’d gone to the doctor, and done all of the proper testing, but she still had two weeks to wait. It was going to be nerve-wracking and almost impossible to keep it from Nick, he would notice how she wasn’t the same. She had already been pulling away from him since he pressured her into having sex, and now with the idea that she might have to deal with the consequences of those actions she didn’t know if she could handle it all. She was going to have to tell someone though, she didn’t want to go through this alone.

 

She could call Shelby.

 

She _should_ call Shelby. Apologize for everything she’d said and everything she’d done, but she knew that there was a long journey ahead of her if she wanted to fix the cracks that she’d put in their relationship. Grabbing the phone off of her nightstand, playing with the cord for a moment to try and steady her nerves, she began dialing in the numbers. With each number, she thought about just hanging up and forgetting the call all together. She wasn’t sure if Shelby would be the one to answer, or if she even would want to talk to Kaylee if she did answer. Her thoughts were turned into reality when the call picked up on the other line and it was Shelby’s mom, Theresa, telling her that Shelby wasn’t home. She offered to take a message but Kaylee told her it could wait until school the next day.

 

Maybe she could try and call Alyssa? She knew that the pair hadn’t been close for quite some time, pretty much since Emma had rolled into town, but she also knew that Alyssa was the next person she’d consider a close or even best friend. It was only Thursday, maybe Alyssa was at home with her mother. Kaylee knew that it was worth a shot, but when she dialed in the number, her heart flew up into her throat when neither of the Greene women answered. She was met with the voice of Emma Nolan and quickly slammed the phone back down onto the receiver. That was two strikes, did she even want to go for a third?

 

She decided not to press her luck, mostly because she couldn’t remember anyone else’s phone numbers right off the top of her head. She could just go through this alone and make it out just fine. She wasn’t even sure that she was pregnant, she could just be too stressed. That was the option she was going to lean more toward, just so she could get on with her day. Standing, she made her way out of her bedroom for the first time that day, immediately being greeted by her dog running in between her legs. “Do you want to go for a walk baby?” She chuckled, leaning down to pet the corgi. She’d convinced her mom to get the dog when her dad got his new promotion, as a way to keep them both company while he was away on his business trips. It hadn’t worked well with her mom, but Kaylee had attached to the dog like it was the only thing keeping her alive. And in some aspects it was, as the little corgi puppy had bugged her every time she was sad or contemplating her life.

 

As she grabbed the lead off of the coat rack by the door, giggling as the dog did figure 8’s between her legs. She hooked it on, heading out the door without another word, content to just wander in the cool fall air until Stella was ready to go back home. It would give her time to think, and the park wasn’t too far from her house. She might even be able to see if Shelby was home on her way back and apologize. Most of her walk was spent thinking about ways she could approach Nick and Shelby, and the rest of it was spent letting her mind wander to what it wanted. There was one person it kept landing on that she should have tried calling, but she was terrified to even think any further into it.

 

Kat had been so accepting the entire time, even when Kaylee all but stormed off when Alyssa came out. She’d followed Kaylee to class and tried to talk to her about literally anything else to get Kaylee’s mind off of what she’d just been told. She’d been thankful at the time, but the smile on Kat’s face had been in her head ever since. It didn’t make sense to Kaylee, and terrified her as to what it could mean. There was just something so calming about it that she couldn’t help but let a smile grace her own lips when she remembered Kat existed.

 

Her brain seemed to have a way of manifesting her desires and fears in front of her however, as she spotted Kat on a park bench overlooking the duck pond. She smiled even wider and led Stella over to the bench, hoping not to startle her friend. “Hi Kat!” She said excitedly, waving quickly before stopping in front of the girl. Stella ran up and laid under the bench, claiming the space under Kat’s feet as her own. She promptly passed out, which was a sign that Kaylee was going to be here a while.

 

“Hi Kaylee... I haven’t seen you the past couple of days, how have you been holding up?” Kat seemed innocent enough in her questions, patting the space beside her for Kaylee to take up. The girl sat, careful not to let her hand brush Kat’s as she did so. The bench was small and didn’t really fit both of them, but Kat seemed content on having Kaylee close, so she wasn’t going to complain about it. “Look, I know everything’s been really scary and changing but remember what I said?”

 

“I can’t change them, and they’re still the same people that they were before... I-I know they are, but I just don’t know if I can believe that Kat. My mom already wasn’t okay with them not being like... like me, and now that they’re _gay too?_ She’s going to have a conniption!” Kaylee started rambling, not sure why she was just laying everything out there for Kat to hear, but she just kept talking. “Between that a-and the idea that I could be _pregnant?_ I don’t know if I’m going to give my mother a heart attack and kill her, or if she’s just going to kill me first! A-And things with Nick, this whole situation has just been a mess and he’s been so mean lately about it. I still love Shelby and Alyssa, a-and Emma’s actually really nice outside of when she’s protecting Alyssa, but Nick just won’t allow it. That’s why I haven’t been at lunch, because he’s making me choose and I just don’t know if I can choose him. E-Especially when I don’t know if I’m straight or not. Like-With the way they explained it it doesn’t seem so scary or demonized like my mom said it was. They just- They’re just in love.”

 

Kat reached over during her word vomit and took her hand, holding it gently and lacing their fingers. She let Kaylee keep talking about everything on her mind, giving her time to get it off her chest before she thought about how to respond to the amount of information she’d just received. Looking down at their joined hands, she gave a soft smile and spoke carefully, “If you don’t think you can choose him, then don’t. Nick doesn’t make the rules that run your life, and neither does your mother. You turn eighteen soon Kaylee and then she can’t control you. You can go off and go to college, or you can just travel the world. We only have a few months to wait out before we can do anything we want without our parents telling us no. Alyssa and Shelby just decided they wanted to start sooner. You can make that choice too if you want.”

 

Kaylee knew she was right, she knew that there wasn’t anyone really able to stop her once she was eighteen, but it was the waiting out until then that was hard. She wanted to be free of Nick and free of her mom, but she knew that making these decisions was going to be hard and she wasn’t sure that she could do it alone. “I-I should get home, I need to think and I know that my mom’s going to be worried about me just leaving without telling her where I was going.”

 

As she stood to leave, Kat stood with her, keeping their hands joined. “I-Can I walk you home? Just so I know you got home safe? I was just reading so I-I mean...” She trailed off and Kaylee turned to her with a smile and nodding. Letting Stella lead the way, the girls made their way back to Kaylee’s house, their hands staying locked together as they talked about ways that Kaylee could leave Nick, and how she could possibly do her hair for the Sadie Hawkins. It was a relief to have a friend in Kat, even if Kaylee felt a tingle in her hand when she was back home, as if she missed the feeling of it being intertwined with Kat’s.


	13. the way you look tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma unintentionally introduces Alyssa to her grandma under circumstances she hadn't planned for, before the girls head off to the Sadie Hawkins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter was hard, not for the content itself, but for the knowledge that it is the second to last chapter. This story has become my baby and I really don't like the feeling of seeing it end. But it's growing up, it's getting finished, and soon it'll be time to move on to something new and exciting.

Saturday afternoon wasn’t a busy day at the Nolan farm, Betsy busying herself with the chicken coop while Emma worked on her truck. The truck ran fairly fine, but with Emma trying to pump it up a little more, she’d asked Alyssa to come pick her up for the dance that night. She knew that it was a bit of a role reversal, but she also wanted to introduce Alyssa to her grandma, aka the only family she really had left. Betsy had been bugging Emma for months, trying to meet the girl that had stolen her granddaughter’s heart, but without Emma being sure that things were really that serious, she wasn’t ready. Now that things had escalated, and both Mrs. Greene and Alyssa’s friends were okay with them dating and it didn’t scare Alyssa off, she thought it was time. Although, her girlfriend picked a hell of a time to pull up to the farm, Emma having stripped off her shirt in the midday heat. It might have been Indiana in the middle of November, but standing in the direct sun of sixty five degree weather would make anyone hot.

 

What Emma hadn’t been expecting was for Alyssa to show up early, catching Emma under the hood. “Emma!” Alyssa shouted, startling her girlfriend, who slammed her head on the hood before looking over and breaking into a smile. She waved excitedly, almost forgetting she was shirtless until she saw Alyssa’s jaw drop and felt her eyes on her. This wasn’t something that Emma was used to, even if she was used to people staring. There was just something different about her girlfriend seeing her in such an exposed way that made the tips of her ears turn red and her arms go around her body as if to hide her stomach. Her tough exterior all but melted away as she watched Alyssa walk over to her and wrap her arms around the blonde’s neck. She kept their bodies a little apart, clearly still looking at Emma’s body. When her girlfriend didn’t move to pull her close however, she stepped back and gave a slight head tilt. “Are you okay?” She asked, voice full of concern.   
  
Emma saw her brain working a mile a minute and quickly took her hand to calm it down. “I-Yeah! I just wasn’t expecting you yet, and well… I’m shirtless. I’ve never been shirtless in front of a girl before,” Her voice quivered ever so slightly as she met Alyssa’s eyes. It was true that she hadn’t, but the idea that Alyssa was worried she’d done something wrong overtook Emma’s need to be cocky and confident.

 

“You haven’t? I thought my suave, charming girlfriend would’ve had girls flocking to see her shirtless,” Alyssa teased, letting her free hand rest on Emma’s waist as she giggled over her joke. Emma didn’t find it nearly as funny, but still cracked a smile at how ridiculous she was being.

 

“I’m not all smooth moves and rock and roll babe, I’ve got a heart in here too,” Emma scoffed, pointing to her heart with their joined hands. What she hadn’t realized was she’d just given Alyssa a chance to lay her hand on her chest. The sensation alone sent chills through her body, like fireworks and lightning all at once. She watched Alyssa’s eyes flicker to her lips briefly before she leaned down and closed the distance between them. It was a chaste kiss, Emma knowing her grandmother could reappear at any moment, but it still got all of her feelings across that she needed to. “Hop up into the truck bed, I’ll grab my shirt and we can lay out for a bit while my grandma finishes up in the chicken coop. Then I’ll get dressed for the Sadie Hawkins.”

 

If Emma was honest, up until Alyssa had arrived in her dress, she had all but forgotten about the dance. It was Saturday, which was usually their date night, so to have something other than The Starlight to look forward to was exciting. The looks they’d get would be bad, but knowing that Syd and Dani were going to be there comforted her a little more. She wasn’t going to be as alone, and she’d be able to kiss Alyssa without every eye in the room being on them. Which was the only thing that she wanted to do ever anymore.

 

As Alyssa was climbing up to sit in the bed of the truck, Emma heard someone call her name and felt her blood run cold. She looked down at her grease stained, still naked torso, dreading what was to come. “Emma! Get over here right now!” She turned to see her grandmother, Betsy, standing with her hands on her hips and a glare fixed on her face. She felt her entire face go bright red, a sheepish grin on her lips. She looked over to Alyssa apologetically before jogging over to Betsy, her shirt in her hands. It was white, which was the only reason she’d kept it off this long. She was covered in grease and it would stain her shirt, so really she was saving her grandma time doing laundry.

 

“Grandma, grandma I know you don’t think I should be shirtless, but it was hot and it was just me out there at first, I-I didn’t know she’d show up right then, it’s like a half an hour too early,” Emma said, blushing a bright red as her grandma looked down at her. The old woman might have been a gentle person, but she wanted her granddaughter to be cordial toward women, especially women that she was attempting to see. She lifted the shirt up to show her that it was still in her hand, hoping that it would lessen the blow of what was to come next. “Plus! I have to get ready for the Sadie Hawkins soon! I was going to change and have Alyssa wait in the living room, o-or the kitchen?” Emma knew that any excuse she had would be a long shot, but she also knew that making a fool of herself in front of her girlfriend was definitely not something she wanted to do.

 

“Emma Rose Nolan, I should not come out of that chicken coop to see you topless! We have rules in this house, they might be very lax rules but they’re rules nonetheless. All I ask is that you follow them, so please put a shirt on while you explain yourself,” Betsy had her hands on her hips and her face fixed with a stern, parental glare. It was a glare that would send grown men running for cover. Emma wasn’t quite used to it, but she’d grown more comfortable to stand her ground to a certain point, after all that’s what got her sent up to Indiana. She thought maybe one day she’d send her parents a thank you card for that.

 

After Emma had resigned to putting her shirt on, she frowned at her grandma in an attempt to get her way. “You know this is just going to ruin the shirt Grams, I was trying to keep it clean!” She saw the moment of slight hesitation in Betsy’s face and caught Alyssa’s eye from behind her grandma. She grinned at her before she was snapped back to reality by her grandmother telling her to go shower and get ready for the dance then. She said she’d get Alyssa inside and make her a snack while they waited, which terrified Emma, because she’d wanted to be there for the initial meeting. “G-Grandma! At least let me introduce you two first?”

 

Shaking her head, Betsy pushed her toward the farmhouse, brow furrowing as she made her voice stern enough where Emma would stop reasonably arguing with her. “I will make sure she’s taken care of. You want to get cleaned up, so go get cleaned up and I will escort this beautiful girl into the house for you.” With that, the old woman’s arms were off of her shoulders and her body was retreating back toward the truck, where Alyssa was still sitting, watching with an amused grin. Emma could hear her laughing, but she didn't turn around for fear of her grandmother’s glare.

 

After her shower, she got dressed into her suit, fumbling with her tie as she made her way down the stairs. She could hear Alyssa’s laugh again, pairing with the sounds of a story her grandmother was telling. She couldn’t help but feel relief wash over her, knowing that the pair were getting along, even if it possibly meant telling embarrassing stories about the blonde. She rounded the corner and found them in the kitchen, both with cups of tea in front of them as Betsy animatedly told a story about when Emma was a baby and how she’d managed to somehow startle one of the pigs she was climbing on, sending her careening across the farm.

 

“Ah the famous Sally story, I miss that old gal,” Emma chuckled, still messing with her tie. She might have learned a lot of things to fit into masculine clothes, but ties still baffled her. She stuck her tongue out slightly, attempting to get it just right when she felt a set of hands on her own. She looked up, meeting chocolate eyes and feeling her heart melt. Her own hands fell to the side, letting Alyssa tie it for her, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips when she was done. “Thank you baby,” She whispered, nuzzling their noses together briefly before looking over to her grandma, who seemed about ready to cry at the sight of the pair.

 

“You know, I never imagined seeing my granddaughter in a suit, with such a beautiful date, but I’m so glad that I got to be alive to see this. Your Poppa and I only ever wanted you to be happy and to feel the same type of love that we felt. I know that if he were still with us, God rest his soul, he would have loved to see this,” Betsy’s voice was full of emotion as she spoke, hand reaching up to wipe the tears in her eyes as she turned her attention to Alyssa. She met the smaller girl’s eyes, smiling the brightest and most genuine smile she could have possibly given. “And Alyssa, I never thought that in a matter of a half an hour I would fall so incredibly in love with my granddaughter’s girlfriend, but you are an absolute peach! You’re so kind, and if you make my Emma as happy as she looks right now all the time, then I really hope you stick around for a long time. Now you two best get on going to the dance, don’t want to be too fashionably late.” She stood from the chair, wobbling ever so slightly before making her way to the pair and giving them each a hug and kiss on the cheek.

 

With that, they were on their way to the Sadie Hawkins, Emma’s hand intertwining with Alyssa’s as they drove. Her nerves were higher than they’d ever been, thinking about how she had wanted to make tonight even more special for Alyssa than it was already going to be. Other dances could come and go, but their first one together would be almost as special as any wedding dance they could ever share. They found a parking spot with ease, Emma jumping out to move around to the other side and open the door for Alyssa. As she helped her girlfriend out of the car, Dani, Syd, Shelby and Maria pulled into the parking lot. They’d gone the carpooling route, all scrambling out and waving over to their friends. “You ready to rock this bitch Nolan?!” Syd called, arm wrapped tightly around her date as Shelby looked up at her as if she hung the stars in the sky. Dani wasn’t paying as much attention, more intent to focus on Maria fixing their tie. It seemed that Dani was having the same state of gay panic that Emma had experienced earlier at the idea of a girl fixing their tie for them. The group made their way in shortly after Dani recovered, wanting to put up a good front as they knew that not everyone had settled into he new normal for Edgewater. Some parents had still protested, but without Mrs. Greene on their side, Mr. Hawkins wasn’t willing to budge on his stance of allowing them to attend.

 

From the looks of it, even their biggest opposer had turned over a new leaf, as Kaylee and Kat walked up arm in arm when they made it into the gymnasium. The pair seemed a little more inseparable than they had been before, and after Kaylee gave what was meant to be a sincere apology, everyone seemed to relax a little more, finding that they’d really missed each other in the week they’d been at odds. Everyone made their rounds, Grey and Emma of the Pink Ladies having come to the dance together, and Aya had finally gotten the courage to ask Chris, who was still getting used to the school. Emma felt her heart soar at all of the budding romances, her grin getting bigger by the second before she looked over and saw another of the T-Birds had snuck their way in. Kaitlin was not so subtly kissing Gabi’s neck and all Emma could do was laugh before they all lost themselves in dancing for a while.

 

An hour or so into the dance, Emma had begun to wonder if Clarke had forgotten about their deal. She’d come up to the girl who was providing music for the dance on Thursday, pitching her idea and getting an enthusiastic yes, so if she’d been forgotten then her whole plan would fall apart. Luckily, she only had to wait three more songs before Clarke grabbed the mic. “Okay folks! We have a special singer up next! She just moved here this year from South Carolina, but she seems to have found her heart here in Indiana,” Clarke laughed over the microphone, having caught Emma’s eyes in the crowd as she made her way forward. “Emma Nolan!”

 

The blonde was nervous to sing, but she knew that this was something that she couldn’t back out of now. “Okay, I’ve never sang in front of people before, so bare with me, but I-yeah.” She bit her lip and looked back to the band, winking and cueing them in before turning her attention back to Alyssa.

 

_Some day, when I'm awfully low_

_When the world is cold_

_I will feel a glow just thinking of you_

_And the way you look tonight_

Her intentions were fairly clear with the song, seeing some groups dancing to the slowish song, but others were watching her with such an intense gaze that she almost lost her foot as she moved down the steps of the stage, beginning to come closer to her girlfriend, feeling a surge of confidence as she saw the bright smile on Alyssa’s face.

 

_Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm_

_And your cheeks so soft_

Alyssa twirled her dress slightly to the beat of the song, spinning around as Emma came as close as she could. The cord wasn’t that terribly long, but it stretched off the stage quite a ways, just incase the musicians got it wrapped around something while they sang.

 

_There is nothing for me but to love you_

_And the way you look tonight_

_With each word your tenderness grows_

_Tearin' my fear apart_

_And that laugh, wrinkles your nose_

_Touches my foolish heart_

 

The slight instrumental breaks in the song gave Emma the chance to reach out and show off her girlfriend, noticing how Dani and Syd had taken the lead with the dance, twirling their dates around the dance floor, and encouraging others to do so. At one point even Kat and Kaylee were on the dance floor, swaying and giggling with each other. Eyes were still on Emma and her show, her heart soaring with every giggle she got out of Alyssa. She felt tears welling up in her eyes, knowing that this was a crowning moment for her. This was something special.

 

_Lovely, never, never change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it?_

_'Cause I love you_

 

_A-just the way you look tonight_

_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_

 

_It touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely, don't you ever change_

_Keep that breathless charm_

_Won't you please arrange it?_

 

Emma looked at Alyssa, her smile growing as she sang. She held out one hand to her girlfriend, her heart fluttering at the look of pure love and affection in her eyes. Alyssa could melt her right then and there, or just walk away and never see her again. But that look, and the feeling of their hands intertwining as she sang, gave her the confidence that she needed to be sure she made the right move. The whole room had stopped to watch them, the dancing slowing as their classmates and her friends fell enraptured by the sight of true love. Dani and Syd might have been right behind Alyssa, but Emma’s eyes couldn’t focus on anything but the slight quiver of Alyssa’s lips, and the tears shimmering in her eyes. It clicked for her right in that moment, that there was no one on Earth that she would rather be with.

__

_'Cause I love you_

_A-just the way you look tonight_

_Mm, mm, mm, mm,_

_Just the way you look tonight_

 

As the song died off, the microphone falling to Emma’s side, the blonde felt Alyssa’s free hand roam up to her tie, yanking her into a kiss. This was different from other kisses, this had something behind it that Emma couldn’t place, but she didn’t care as she melted against the brunette. She felt someone take her microphone from her, and the noises around them began to pick up, but she was so lost in chasing after Alyssa’s lips every time the moved away from her own that she didn’t care.

 

When they eventually did part, it was only because Dani had strode up to them and pulled Emma back, raising an eyebrow. “Listen Casanova, I know you can mack on her all night, but I need your help trying to impress Maria. She’s so funny and smart and I don’t want to mess this up,” Emma’s eyes flickered from Dani to Alyssa’s lips, and back again. She knew that her friend was right and they needed help, but she didn’t want to just leave her girlfriend unattended.

 

Alyssa seemed to sense her dilemma and leaned up to press another light kiss to her lips, “Come find me after you help Dani, I’ll go tease Shelby, or figure out what’s goin’ on between Kaylee and Kat.” She smoothed out Emma’s tie before shooing her away with a joking smile. Her girlfriend held her hands up in defense, wrapping an arm around Dani and beginning to be led off to play wingman.

 

The night carried on, Emma showing Dani how to solidly secure a second or even third date with Maria, before she danced some more with Alyssa. She didn’t miss how Shelby and Maria mimicked Alyssa’s movements on the dance floor, stealing kisses via grabbing the T-Bird’s ties. She thought it was adorable that everyone seemed to be taking their cues from the duo. This night was coming to a close much quicker than she’d thought it ever would, but between the festivities, and her revelation while she sang, she didn’t know if there was anything else she could’ve hoped for out of the night.

 

Emma was sitting under the stars, her top button undone and tie slightly crooked. This had definitely been a night to remember, and she took it all in. Alyssa slipped up behind her, sitting beside her with a contented sigh. She leaned her head on Emma’s shoulder, “You know, I never thought I’d fall in love but here I am. I haven’t been able to get you off my mind since the first day that I met you Emma Nolan.” Putting her heart on the line was something Alyssa had been doing a lot more lately, but this was a bigger step than anything she’d prepared for. But she was 

 

Emma looked over to her with wide eyes, mouth slightly ajar. Did Alyssa just say she was in love with her? Emma had to be dreaming, but as she bit the inside of her mouth to test, she felt the pain. She was awake. This was real. “I-Alyssa…” She started, causing her girlfriend to look up at her, “I never thought I’d fall in love either, but then I met you and I had hope. And here I am, absolutely, irrevocably in love with you Alyssa Greene.” She leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, feeling Alyssa smile against it, her girlfriend’s hand gripping her tie once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is going to be more of an epilogue than a continuation of the story post Sadie Hawkins, but know that it'll be out by the end of the week. I love you all so much


	14. you're the one that i want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.

The year was 2015, and while Emma and Alyssa had seen better days, ups and downs, they were still just as irrevocably in love with each other as they had been in the summer of 1965. Their plan to get a cat or a dog and call that their child had grown to actually adopting a set of twins in the late 70’s, who now stopped by on the weekends to take their moms to the local baseball games, or help make dinner. Their kids had grown and had kids of their own, so the Greene and Nolan house was the loudest on the road Saturday morning when they arrived. The girls had inherited the Nolan family farm when Betsy passed, and Emma had learned to love the idea of keeping a small farm, instead of running off to the big city like she’d always dreamed of. Alyssa had always thought about going into a career more suited to the city, but as she finished college, she found that both she and Emma had gravitated back toward Edgewater, back to Alyssa’s mother. Veronica had taken about a year to become fully comfortable having Emma in her daughter’s life on a permanent basis. Theo had brought her daughters over one morning, her husband having been unable to attend because of work. That didn’t stop Nico from bringing his boyfriend and kids over, making a full family party a must.

 

As Veronica and Betsy played with Clio, the corgi that Alyssa had insisted on adopting when she saw the ad in the paper, Angie and Barry had gone to help their grandmothers in the kitchen with preparing the lunch. Nico had taken over grilling the burgers after Emma burned herself for the fourth time, so the former blonde had been shunned back into the kitchen to prepare the fruit salad, only for the ten and eleven year old to ask to do it instead. Emma was practically left twiddling her thumbs when Theo burst into the kitchen with the brightest smile on her face, looking at her moms. “You guys are never going to believe what’s just happened!” She exclaimed, taking their hands and feeling the emotions become too much for her. She looked over as Nico’s boyfriend, Trent, who had the same emotional look on his face. He moved toward the back door, calling for Nico to come inside for a moment. As he did so, and Theo composed herself, she spoke again. “President Obama and the Supreme Court just ruled that same-sex marriage is legal. Across the entire country,” Her voice broke as she spoke, watching the look on her mom’s faces turn from concern to absolute joy.

 

Emma turned to Alyssa, moving her free hand to cup her cheek as tears began to fall onto her cheeks. Alyssa mirrored her expression before the air in the room shifted almost entirely. “Theo, dear, will you help me stand really quick?” Emma asked, confusing both of her children before Theo did as she was asked, her mom never taking her eyes off of Alyssa’s. Once she was standing, she pressed a kiss to the top of Alyssa’s head before moving toward the living room. Everyone watched her, wondering what on Earth the old woman was doing. Alyssa was the only one who seemed to have any idea, letting a soft smile reach her lips before Emma returned with Veronica and Betsy right behind her. The little girls were giggling and pointing to whatever Emma had behind her back.

 

Alyssa stood, moving to where Emma had stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, holding out her hand for Emma to take. “Emma...” She started, tears falling onto her cheeks as she prepared to seemingly pop the question. Alyssa didn’t get another word out before Emma managed to drop to one knee, even though both her and Alyssa knew that she’d regret it later when she would need help up. Arthritis really was the bane of her existence, but it wouldn’t stop her from doing what she always dreamed of doing. She pulled a small box from behind her back and met her girlfriend’s eyes, “Alyssa Greene, even after fifty years of loving you and being loved by you, I couldn’t imagine my life without you. So, now that I can legally ask this, would you make me the happiest girl in the world, and marry me?”

 

There was no containing the tears from anyone in the room. They’d grown up with the jokes of Emma asking Alyssa to marry her one day, and Alyssa saying that the CIA would come and steal her away if she said it too loud, but now their children were seeing something in their parents that hadn’t seen the light of day in public for almost a decade. They saw the raw, unfiltered love that their parents had for each other, a love that couldn’t be stopped anymore. They were able to love freely and openly, something that they had never expected to have in their lifetime. Nico had always known it would happen for him and Trent, but to see his moms seemingly fall in love all over again everyday, and now they could officially ‘seal the deal’ as Emma had always put it.

 

Theo was in tears as she watched her moms, Alyssa nodding, unable to speak through the tears. She looked over to where her daughter and niece were watching, seeing how they squealed with delight when Grandma Emma slide the ring onto Alyssa’s finger. Without even being asked, Theo moved to help Emma back up to her feet, where her moms shared a heartfelt kiss before melting into a hug, hearing their sobs even though one couldn’t make out their faces anymore.

 

~~~~~~~~~

At the age of sixty-seven, Emma and Alyssa didn’t think they’d ever have a wedding, let alone be able to plan one. Sure, they’d helped plan Theo’s when she tied the knot with Nick, but that was ten years ago, and they definitely hadn’t done the majority of the work. They tried, but neither of them had been very good at it. So it was no surprise to anyone that Nico stepped up to helm the planning committee, enlisting the help of his sister and their respective partners. They asked their moms to make some decisions, but after a while Alyssa insisted that ‘they knew their parents better than anyone.’ That left the duo to plan everything, including the guest list.

 

That guest list wasn’t terribly big, as the girls were going into their seventies, but there were some notable names for the girls. Theo had taken to tracking down the children of Emma and Alyssa’s high school friends, knowing a few from school, and getting info from her mom’s and the owners of the Starlight Diner down in Wabash. Those names led to getting the contact information for their old high school friends, Theo showing Nico how some of the current ‘T-Birds’ were actually just the kids and grandkids of Dani and Syd. Nico remembered Ginger from high school, surprised that the family connection went that deep, although he probably should have considering the concept of ‘lesbian moms’ had brought them together over their senior year.

 

Oliver on the other hand, was connected to them through the Starlight Diner. That’s where the Greene-Nolan kids found Kaylee Klein, who thought fondly of their moms, but wasn’t sure if she’d really be welcomed at a wedding, but after some convincing from both the children, and Ginger’s mom, Shelby, she agreed to show up. Oliver heard them talking to Kaylee and came out asking about it, saying that he’d heard stories about Emma and Alyssa from his parents.

 

That night had turned into stories being passed around about their parents, before Oliver’s parents, Dani and Maria, came in for their nightly dinner date, where Theo and Nico asked if they’d come to the wedding. Throughout the entire process of finding previous generations of T-Birds and Pink Ladies, the siblings came together and realized just how much love was truly shared between this friend group. They knew their parents shared a special type of love, but seeing how they’d inspired everyone around them to find that type of love put that warm, fuzzy feeling in their heart above and beyond anything that it had ever been.

 

As the day rolled around, Nico and Trent took to helping Emma with her tux, a soft blue one very reminiscent of the pictures she’d shown Nico as a kid of her Sadie Hawkin’s suit. Theo had enlisted the help of Ginger with Alyssa’s dress, making sure that Ginger knew to keep the guest list a surprise. Alyssa wasn’t stupid however, asking how Ginger knew her daughter. Ginger was quick to reply however, saying how she knew Theo and Nico from high school. That they did theatre together, and she just wanted to help make this a special day. That seemed sufficient enough for Alyssa, and before long it was time for them to walk down the aisle.

 

They walked down one by one, Emma going first and if she wasn’t already in tears from the idea of marrying the love of her life, she would’ve been at the sight of Dani and Syd on one side of the aisle, with Kaylee and Shelby on the other. She looked over to Nico, choking back tears, “H-How did you?” She began to ask, only for her son to pat her hand and smile.

 

“Theo and I pulled some strings, we wanted this to be a special day for you and mama,” He said softly, pressing a kiss to her head before letting go of her hand and going to stand beside Dani. His mom stood, looking from her friends to the doorway, where she knew Alyssa was going to walk out any moment. And when she did, Emma felt a fresh wave of sobs come over her, melting at the sight of Alyssa in a wedding dress.

 

Alyssa stepped through the doorway and her reaction mirrored Emma’s completely. She saw Kaylee and Shelby right before she looked at Emma, feeling the tears take over. Theo squeezed her hand against Alyssa’s arm in comfort, knowing that this was a lot to take in, and that they hadn’t noticed the entire group was made up of people who loved them the most. The catering, of course, was done by the diner, Kaylee having insisted on doing it. She said it was what the original owners would have wanted. Shelby had helped connect the kids with the rest of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, who all showed up, wanting to see the brightest smiles on their friends faces one last time.

 

Reaching the end of the aisle, Theo let go of her mom, passing her hand over to Emma with a bright smile before she took her place beside Kaylee. The beginning of the ceremony went along smoothly, before it was time for Emma and Alyssa to recite their vows. Oliver looked between them as he asked who would like to recite vows first, not having ever officiated a wedding before. He’d bought his license online for the wedding, insisting that he do it so he could help more than just connecting the kids with his parents. Taking a deep breath, Emma gave a smile and looked at Alyssa, “Alyssa Greene, there hasn’t been a moment since I first saw you that I haven’t been head over heels in love with you. I have spent the better part of my sixty-seven years falling more and more for you each day. I can’t tell you how my life would have gone if you hadn’t tripped over that seaweed on the beach. Thank you for letting me love you, and letting me get to spend my life with you.”

 

Her voice wavered as she spoke, but the confident squeeze Alyssa gave her hand made her hold back her tears just enough to get through the vows. Alyssa however, began crying as soon as she spoke, “Emma, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Even after fifty years, each day with you is a new adventure waiting to unfold and I couldn’t ask for a better person to be the love of my life. You are so beautiful, funny, loving, and the best mother to our kids. I wouldn’t trade you for the world.”

 

It had taken everything for the pair not to kiss throughout the vows, but when it came time, their hearts soared. “I now pronounce you, wife and wife. You may kiss the bride,” Oliver spoke, his voice wavering as he looked out into the audience, seeing his parents, and pretty much everyone else, in tears at the sight. Emma leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Alyssa’s lips, feeling Alyssa smile into it, just like she had the first night they said they loved each other. Just like that night when they were seventeen, Alyssa’s hand slid up, grasping at Emma’s tie ever so slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't thank the discord enough for this idea, and for their undying support of this pic throughout the entire writing process. I hope I did the ending justice, and I hope that all of you know how much I truly love you.


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